


Tristan's Hawk

by The_Insane_Asparagus



Category: King Arthur (2004)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-14
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2017-11-12 04:56:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 42,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/486966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Insane_Asparagus/pseuds/The_Insane_Asparagus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A witch curse a young druidess into submission but the curse goes awry. A scout finds her and she is bond to him. She must find a way to free herself from him and return home before he finds out her secret. But what if he already knows?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

 

Althea walked up the path, holding onto her youngest two-year-old daughter, Nola, by her right side stood her eldest five-year-old daughter, Myrina. She had wanted to bring all four of her children with her. She knew they weren't going to understand, but that didn't matter. She wanted him to see his children one last time. She hadn't been able to find her eldest son who was ten and Nola's twin brother. So she had her children with her. Nola had fallen asleep in her mother's arms and Althea didn't have the heart to wake her up.

"Althea," her husband, Calatin, whispered when he spotted her. He rushed over and gave her a light hug before hugging Myrina. "You should not be here," he whispered.

"We have come to say our goodbyes." Her voice cracked ever so slightly, but her face remained stoic. "I couldn't find the boys. I'm sorry."

He kissed Myrina's forehead before kissing Nola's, then he looked at his wife. "I must do this. You understand, do you not?"

She nodded her head. "I have not come to try to talk you out of it."

"I am glad. The only way to fight the Romans is through the magic of the old gods. They will honor this sacrifice. I know they will. I am the last prince of my father's blood, the son of a druid and queen. My blood is sacred. When they honor my sacrifice we will win. And when we win, our children's children will never have to fear. And…" He looked at Myrina and smiled. She smiled back at him. "Better me than one of our children."

"I love you, papa" she said as she hugged him. She was her father's little girl, despite resembling Althea in nearly every way, long brown hair and brown eyes.

He returned her hug before forcing her to move back. "But I need you and your mum to leave now," he said. "Go."

She nodded. "Come, mum," she said as she grabbed her mother's hand. Althea let her daughter go and reached out toward her husband. He grabbed her hand and kissed it before taking a step back. She forced herself to smile before allowing her daughter to lead her out. Calm, collected, she had to pretend for her daughter's sake. Myrina didn't know that her father was about to die a gruesome death. He was going to sacrifice his body and blood in hopes that the gods would gift them with the magic of old. And she prayed that they would honor his request.

"Althea," Bram's cool baritone voice interrupted her thought.

"Uncle Bram," Myrina said happily.

"And where have you been, little hawk?" he teased. He placed a hawk feather in her hair, making her smile.

"We went to see papa," she said.

He shot his sister a quick look and she gave him a slow nod. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "It's for the best," he whispered.

She nodded. "I know," her voice was soft and difficult to hear. She looked up at the full moon then quickly closed her eyes. Two tears ran down her cheeks, but she didn't sniff. "I wanted to bring the boys with me. But it's too late now."

"Come," he said as he wrapped his arm around his sister and led her away.

Three boys came out of the woods; one was Bram's older son, who held baby Darren, while the other was Brandon, Althea's oldest child.

"Where have you been?" Althea said in anger.

The boys looked at her in surprise by her tone.

"We were playing, mum," Brandon said softly. He rarely saw his mother angry, and especially at him.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just…" She stopped talking and her eyes widen in horror. "Bram, one of the groves is on fire." She pointed in front of them.

"No!" he shouted. "Althea, get out of here."

He didn't have to repeat his demand a second time as she grabbed Myrina's hand and started running away from the fire. "Go with them Reghan!" he shouted at his son. The young man nodded and grabbed Darren, quickly following after Althea.

They reached the edge of the woods when they heard a horn. Althea turned to Reghan and shoved Nola into his other arm. "Take the children and hide. Don't come out for any Roman."

"And you?" he asked in fear.

She looked up the beaten path that she had just come down. "I must protect my husband. I can't let them stop the ritual." Reghan opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Take them! Trust no one. Look for Merlin. He will keep you safe."

He finally nodded and turned.

"Mummy?" Myrina cried as her brother grabbed her arm.

"I love you, Rina," Althea shouted.

Myrina didn't have long to see her mother as her brother dragged her through the forest. The second they were in the forest Althea rushed out of their sight.

"Come on, Rina!" Brandon snapped as he pulled his sister. She turned and followed after them.

"Reghan, wait!" she huffed. The boy was nearly thirteen, and he was soon far ahead of the two children. Suddenly, he stopped, giving the children enough time to catch up.

"Reghan," Brandon said, trying to catch his breath. Then he gasped. A large bear stood in their path. It stood up and roared. None of the children could move. The earth seemed to tremble when it landed back on all fours. Myrina reached out and grabbed a chunk of its hair as it ran past them and lunged at a Roman knight.

The children didn't wait another second as they continued their flight.

Myrina screamed as a horse crashed through the woods and stopped in front of them. The horse reared, nearly sending its small passenger out of his saddle. The boy, roughly Reghan's age if not a little older, stared at them in horror. He clearly didn't expect to see children.

"There are soldiers that way," he quickly said, pointing in the direction that they were running. "There isn't anyone that way." He pointed in front of him. "There isn't much time. Keep going that way. Just get out of here. They're going to kill everyone. If you know of a place to hide then go hide there. Don't come back."

"Why are you helping us?" Brandon asked. The teen was clearly Roman. He wore Roman armor, and had a sword by his side.

"Because…" He looked back toward the fighting then back at them. "I had to give you a chance." He didn't wait for them to say another word as he turned and ran back to join the fighting.

"Bran!" Rina shouted at her brother as she grabbed her little sister and started to run. Her eyes darted around her surroundings. She could barely see much. She coughed. Smoke! She turned and gasped in horror. The grove was on fire.

"We must hurry, Rina!" Bran yelled. Darren started to cry as Reghan tried to calm him. But they couldn't stop. Darren's crying woke Nola up, making her cry as well.

"Mummy," she whispered as tears ran down her face. "Mummy?"

"Silence, child!" someone snapped.

The children froze in fear as five men appeared in front of them. The men wore hides and had blue paint on their bodies.

"Our mummy!" Rina said, knowing that they were her allies. She pointed in the direction of the fire.

"Should we go help the others, Merlin?" one of the men asked.

"Merlin!" Reghan said. "She told us to trust you. That you can protect us."

Merlin looked in the direction of the fire then nodded his head. "We need to get the little ones to safety. Come." He picked Myrina up, and motioned for two of his other men to pick up the twins, allowing Bran to run with them.

Rina watched from behind as they ran, tears running down her face. Her home, her parents, they were gone.

* * *

**Thirteen Years Later**

Guinevere stood in front of a small lake, and cautiously looked around before stripping her clothes off. She untied her hair allowing it to flow loosely around her body. The only entrance to and from the small lake was the little dirt path that she stood on. The rest of the lake was surrounded by a cliff. Guinevere smiled as she ran then dove into the water. She took her time before finally resurfacing. It had been a while since she had enough time to enjoy herself in the lake. Her father had kept her busy learning about the land and trying his best to make her into a fine warrior.

She didn't mind fighting and actually enjoyed getting up early in the morning to practice. It was her favorite time of day during any season. She felt alive. But, at the same time, she slightly dreaded it. Brandon, Calatin's oldest son, was a morning person as well. He and his siblings had become permanent members of her village, much to her delight and small dismay.

The children were the only survivors of the druids who were massacred by the Romans. Merlin had gone back, some days later, to see if anyone else had escaped. But there had been no one. And so, the children grew up in Guinevere's home, unofficially adopted by her father, Merlin.

Guinevere sighed. For her, they were her siblings albeit annoying, the boys especially, but her siblings none the less. But had problem had started for her. Brandon had started being sweet to her. Rumors of a union shortly after the children came with her father. Her father told her that they had druid blood in their family. She was the best candidate for Brandon to marry. Merlin was already the unofficial leader of the village, making Guinevere an unofficial princess.

She had to admit, Brandon was handsome: his shoulder length blond hair seemed to always flow perfectly behind him. And the two different eye colors, one blue and one brown, fascinated her. He was also a great inspiration to the people, even if he never fought a single battle. But, she had seen him with another woman. It was an accident, as she was making her way to a Roman's home. She was going to spy on the Roman and see what she could do to make his life miserable. As she walked in the woods, she had seen Brandon with another woman.

Guinevere shuddered at the memory. She had caught them while they were at their most intimate moment. At least neither had seen her. Still, she knew she would never be able to get that image out of her head. She couldn't be with him. No, he was practically her brother, they grew up together. But the beginning pressures of her father and the council were getting to her.

Normally, she voiced her frustrations and concerns to Myrina. But the young woman had been busy as of late.

A cold breeze flowed through the lake sending chills down her body and knocking her back into reality.

"A bit late to be swimming," a deep voice said.

Instinctively, Guinevere placed her hands over her chest. "It's rude to spy on a woman bathing," she snapped.

Brandon smiled, but didn't turn away or move. He leaned against a tree with his arms across his chest. "Come now," he said, standing up. "You shouldn't be shy. After all, I believe your father is prepared for us to marry."

She gulped. Maybe he was prepared, but that didn't mean she was. "But we aren't," she said with a glare.

Something grunted then moaned, causing both of them to look down the trail. A bear nearly as tall as Brandon stood at the entrance of the path. It looked from one to the other before it charged at them. Guinevere cursed at herself. Where did she leave her weapons? Brandon shouted as he jumped back and entered the water. The bear stopped at the edge of the water then stood up to its full height, roaring at the two.

"Do something, Brandon!" Guinevere shouted.

He looked around, but both were in the water and their weapons were on the shore.

She frowned. Did it just chuckle? The bear's body shimmered as the hair and claws disappeared. Its back legs became human legs and its front legs became human arms. The body and head of the bear immediately became that of a naked human, and Guinevere recognized Myrina.

"Get out of here, Bran!" the young druidess snapped at her brother. "What were you thinking?"

He kept his head turned so he would have to see his sister's body and took off his cloak. "I surrender," he said before he disappeared into the woods.

Myrina rolled her eyes, but picked up his cloak and wrapped it around her. "That is the one disadvantage of changing into an animal form," she said, not really talking to Guinevere. "Don't have any clothes when I change back."

Guinevere made her way out of the small lake and smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said.

Myrina nodded. "I'm going to speak to him. I don't know what possessed him to do that."

"He is right. We will be married soon." Guinevere frowned. Why was she defending him?

Myrina's eyes narrowed as she looked at her friend.

"Do you bring any news?" Guinevere asked, quickly changing the subject. She couldn't express her doubts and fears and what she saw between Brandon and the mystery woman.

Myrina sighed. "I don't know. The Sarmatian knights have taken up residence at a village nearby. I think they were chasing after some bandits. I don't think they are here for us. I was on my way back when I spotted you and my brother."

"You spied on them as a bear?" Guinevere asked a little skeptical.

Myrina laughed, shaking her head. "I was a hawk. My usual spy form."

Guinevere nodded. It was strange to think that a person had the ability to turn into a hawk and a bear. They discovered her ability to shapeshift just after they arrived at the village. There were only two forms that she could shift into comfortable: a hawk and a bear. The hawk form proved to be invaluable, allowing her to spy on the Romans.

Nola, on the other hand, could heal. But her healing abilities came at a grand price. The few times that Nola ever used them she became drastically sick and once to the point of death. Merlin rarely allowed her to use her ability because of that.

As for the rest of her family? Neither of the two boys could do anything special, and not for lack of trying. No one was entirely sure how the two girls developed their magic power. The sacrifice was Reghan's explanation. Calatin had sacrificed his life in an attempt for the old gods to bless them with magic. But why did the girls have magic while the boys didn't? No one was exactly sure. Myrina had told Guinevere once that she and Nola had been the last to see their father and had been kissed by him.

"We better go," Myrina said, looking up into the sky. "I believe it's going to rain."

Guinevere nodded and the two young women made their way back to their village. It was a quiet walk since neither spoke to each other, but it was an easy silence. They stopped once for Myrina to get her clothes that she had hid and put them on.

"Do you think your brother really wants to marry me? Or does he care for someone else?" Guinevere finally asked.

The young druidess looked at her in surprise then frowned. "I haven't heard him talk about anyone else. Although I have seen other women look at him. But," she paused. "To be honest, I haven't heard him talk about anyone. I…" Myrina stopped talking and froze. A group of riders rode toward them.

Guinevere recognized her father, Nola and Darren in the group before them. The three pulled ahead and stopped in front of the two young women.

"What has happened?" Myrina asked, spotting the tears in Nola's eyes.

"Reghan is dead," Nola whispered.

Panic crossed Myrina's face as she took a step back. "No," she whispered, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Come," Merlin said as one of his men brought out two fresh mounts. Both girls got on the horse and started to follow everyone back.

Darren turned and gave Guinevere a quick glance before he looked at his sister. "Rina!" he shouted.

She had turned her horse around and was riding in the opposite direction that they were going. She didn't look back as she forced her horse to gallop away.

"Don't! Merlin ordered Darren who started after her. "Let her be. She will come back."

Darren looked at the older man then at his sister before forcing himself to rejoin the group. The sky rumbled overhead and then it began to rain.

* * *

"Why?" Myrina sobbed, ignoring the rain as she buried her face into her horse's mane. She didn't care where it was going and didn't even try to look up. Reghan had died. He had been the only person allowed himself to talk about her mother and father. The images she remembered were blurry and she remembered nothing of that fateful night. No one else really knew her parents, except for Brandon. And he refused to broach the subject. She had gotten close to her cousin, because of his openness.

She clenched her fists around the reins. Why didn't Merlin let her sister heal Reghan? If only she had the ability to heal. She wouldn't let Merlin control who she could and could not heal. No, Reghan wouldn't have let her heal him, even if she could.

The stallion screamed in surprise as it rose up on its hind legs. She had been unprepared for the sudden stop, and screamed as she fell. She landed on the ground and coughed as the wind was knocked out of her. She lay on her back, allowing the rain fall on her. She didn't care, nor did she move, even after she caught her breath. She felt so useless. Yeah, she could change into an animal, but that was it. She always felt drained after she changed back.

Her horse! She quickly sat up and looked around, but it was nowhere in sight. She stood up and winced in pain. Her body felt bruised, but she was sure nothing was broken. She started to move in the direction of her home when she heard someone approach.

"Oye! Look at what we got 'ere, boys," a man said as he walked out of the woods. Myrina looked at the man as he smiled looking her up and down. Two more men stood closely behind him. The three men were similar in appearance, in the way that they were fat, balding and bearded.

"Leave me alone," Myrina hissed as she turned and faced them. She wasn't going to keep her back to them. Inwardly, she looked for the bear. "I have no time for you." Her body shook in fear and rage, but she pretended that it was from the cold wind.

"Did you hear that, boys?" the leader asked as he walked toward her. "She got no time for us." His smile widened, and her eyes narrowed as she took a step back.

Where was it?

"Let's make time," one of the men behind the leader said as he giggled.

She froze. Inwardly, she found the bear, but her body was too weak to change into it. She had exhausted mentally and physically exhausted herself.

Like lightning, the leader took her brief moment of weakness and lunged at her, grabbing her left arm. She screamed as she ripped her arm away and punched him. Her fist connected with his jaw, causing him to stagger back in surprise. His men laughed behind him.

"That was a mistake," he snarled as he spat out blood.

She didn't even hear him say his last line as she turned and ran. "Help!" she screamed. She had no weapons on her, she hadn't intended on her sudden ride.

She screamed as she ran into one of the bandits and tried to move away. He smacked her across the face, stunning her. She felt someone tackle her to the ground and quickly recovered from her daze. She screamed again as she struggled with her attackers. He lay on top of her back and laughed at her futile attempts.

"Looks like we got a feisty one." The men laughed as they neared her.

"Get off me," Myrina screamed. She was angry and distort now. If only they knew. As a bear, she would have ripped them apart, but she couldn't. Her magic had abandoned her in her time of need. Tears streamed down her face as she realized what was going to happen. Her family was nowhere near to hear her screams or come to her rescue.

One of the men cried out as he collapsed onto the ground, an arrow in his chest. The man on top of her kept his knee on her back, but straightened his body as he looked around. His other companion unsheathed his sword.

"Show yourself!" the man shouted.

She smiled as she looked in the direction that the arrow had come from. She half expected to see her sister standing with their brothers, but was surprised to see a young man. The man sat relaxed on his horse and held his bow and arrow ready to shoot again.

"The lady told you to get off her," he said in a deadly voice.

"You should have just told us that you had a man," the leader said as he quickly stood up and raised his left arm in surrender. Despite his words, Myrina saw the man reach for something with his right hand.

"No!" she screamed as she kicked him in the gut. An arrow hit the man in the chest and he fell back dead. The other man screamed as he scurried away. Another arrow quickly brought him down.

She quickly stood up and stared down at the dead man.

Despite having trained for years on how to kill someone, she had never actually killed anyone, or been close to a dead body. The man's eyes were open and he stared vacantly up into the sky. She swallowed hard, trying to keep herself from vomiting.

She screamed in surprise as a hand touched her shoulder. The young man, her rescuer, had dismounted his horse and now stood behind her.

"Don't look at him," he said, pulling her away from the bodies.

She didn't fight him. "Th… thank you," she whispered. Finally, her world stopped spinning and she really looked at him. Immediately, she realized that he wasn't a Woad and he wasn't a man of the land either. He was a foreigner, a knight! She recognized the suite of armor that he wore and knew that he was a Sarmatian knight. She bit her cheek in an effort to not show fear. It was the Sarmatian knights who helped kill all the druids. There was no doubt in her mind that he would try to kill her if he knew who she was. But they were supposed to be ruthless and cruel. Why did he rescue her?

"Why did you help me?" The words blurted out of her mouth before she could stop them. She took a step back. She couldn't trust him, not yet. Maybe, if she had to, she could run away from him. She could feel her magic humming through her veins, but she still wasn't strong enough.

"You were in need of my help," he replied as he looked around. "Your horse?"

She looked around. "He got scared."

The man nodded, as if he understood. He got onto his horse then reached his hand down to her. "I will take you to it," he said, trying to sound reassuring. His face was difficult to read, but she felt no need to be afraid of him.

She grabbed his hand and let him put her on his horse. She sat in front of him and looked out as he commanded his horse to move. She knew she was tense. She was practically sitting on his lap. "Thank you, for rescuing me," she said softly.

"Those men cowards," he said. "And cowards like them don't deserve to live." He kept his eyes focused, looking for the horse.

Suddenly, a loud crack sounded overhead and the heavens opened up completely. He wrapped his cloak around her, but soon it was soaking wet. He didn't say anything as he stopped his horse and got down. He reached for her and she hesitantly let him help her off the horse.

"But I have to get home," she said.

He shook his head. "You will get sick. Come!"

It was then that she saw the small shack that was to their left. She followed him inside and immediately stiffened. She was alone with a man in a shack. Not just any man, a Sarmatian knight. Why didn't she… Her thoughts were interrupted when he walked back outside.

She looked around and spotted some wood to make a fire. She placed the wood in the fireplace and lit it. The Sarmatian knight was right. Walking in the rain would surely get her sick. Especially since her emotional state was so fragile. Her chest tightened at the thought of her cousin. She shouldn't have run away. She should have stayed with her family.

"Regret won't get you anywhere," the man said, causing her to jump in surprise.

"What?" she asked.

He didn't look at her as he took off his cloak and hung it over a chair. "Regret," he said again. "You can't change the past. Learn and move on."

"You don't regret? You don't regret the people you have killed?"

He paused for a moment then looked at her. "Most tried to kill me, or harm innocent people, like you."

She didn't answer.

"Best get comfortable. We may be here for a while." He still didn't look at her as he took off the items he didn't have to wear.

She looked around before she sat down on the floor next to the fire. It would take a while for her clothes to dry, especially since she was wearing them. Something dry landed on her lap and she looked down to see a set of men's clothes. She looked up at the knight and frowned.

"They are dry," he said. "Put them on, unless you wish to get sick."

"Turn," she commanded with a frown.

As soon as he turned she got out of her clothes and put his on. They were extremely loose on her, but it was nice to get out of wet clothes. "Thank you," she finally said. "I'm decent."

He still didn't look at her as he opened his satchel and rummaged through it.

She fidgeted, unsure of what to say or do. "What is your name? You rescued me and I haven't even asked for your name."

He shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Tristan."

"I'm Myrina, but you can call me Rina." Her eyes widen in horror and she quickly bit her lip to keep from saying more. Why had she given him her nickname? Only her family was allowed to call her Rina. And even worse he was an enemy.

He finally found what he wanted and turned toward her. In his hands was a pan and placed it on the fire before he put some meat in it. She could immediately tell that there wasn't much food. He had only packed enough for himself for the night.

Her stomach let out a loud growl when she spotted the piece of bread that he took out. She immediately busied herself by straightening her dress that she had draped over a table. She had no illusions that he would share with her his food. Why would he?

The smell of cooked meat was starting to get overwhelming. Maybe she would try her luck walking in the rain, alone, at night.

"Sit," Tristan commanded. She looked at him and he motioned for her to sit next to him.

"I'm not hungry," she said, but sat down near him. He evenly split his meal into two and gave her the other half. "Thank you," she said.

He just shrugged, keeping all of his attention on his food.

She watched him as she carefully ate her food. Her eyes stopped over his tattoo. She wondered what it meant.

He continued to eat as if she wasn't staring at him.

"Can I ask you something?" she finally asked as she dragged her body closer to him.

He raised his eyebrows but nodded.

"Why are you here?"

"Does it matter? I was there when you needed me," he pointed out. "Why are you out in the forest alone?"

"I would have been alright if not for…" she caught herself just in time and crossed her arms over her chest.

The shack rumbled with the thunder. The two looked up and around as if expecting everything to collapse around them.

Slowly, she rubbed her eyes. "It's because of my cousin," she whispered. "He's… he's dead." At those words she started to cry.

Tristan shifted uncomfortably. This was not a situation he had ever found himself in. His fellow knights had talked to him about emotional females, but he had never had to deal with any.

He looked around then scooted closer to her. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched her hand. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into his shirt. She didn't seem to notice that he still wore his wet clothes. He stiffened, now more uncomfortable than ever.

Despite the fact that he was uncomfortable he didn't move, allowing her to cry. He didn't touch her. He wasn't even sure how to touch her. Place his hand on her back? Small of her back? Her head? Her shoulder? He had no idea. So he just sat there with both of his hands on the ground.

Slowly, her sobs turned to soft whimpers as she began to relax. "Thank you," she whispered.

He opened his mouth to respond when he realized that she was asleep. Slowly, he lay down, and her body followed his. He could probably get out from underneath her without waking her up. But he wasn't entire sure, and he didn't want to wake her. Besides, he found that he was surprisingly comfortable.

Carefully, he reached his hand onto the bed and dragged the single blanket down and put it over her. Then he looked up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Myrina awoke to a splitting headache. She let out a yawn and turned to her right then bit her lip to keep from screaming. Tristan slept beside her. She quickly rolled off of him and took stock of herself. Physically, she felt fine, except for the headache. Carefully, she got on her knees and leaned in to get a closer look at his face.

"Tristan? I see yur horse. Git out 'ere," a voice from outside snarled.

Myrina looked at the door in fear as she heard horses and more voices. She jumped to her feet and spotted the open window. She didn't think for another minute as she ran to it.

Tristan quickly got to his feet just in time to see his clothes drop to the ground. A hawk flew out of the window. He knew exactly what she was.

"Tristan? Ya in there? Galahad, go in there and see if it's him," Bors shouted.

Tristan quickly packed his things and opened the door to find Lancelot there. The dark-haired knight smiled slyly as he tried to peak through Tristan's body. "Got some company?" he asked.

Tristan let the door open fully as he walked over to the small shelter where he had tied his horse. It greeted him with impatience as it stamped its foot on the ground. Lancelot wouldn't find anything, even if he searched the whole shack. Tristan had put Myrina's dress into his bag for safe keeping.

"Let's get going, Tristan," Bors demanded. "Vanora could be giving birth to my boy any day now."

"Don't you mean  _my_  boy?" Lancelot asked with a raised eyebrow.

"As if Vanora would ever sleep with you," Bors spat back.

Tristan ignored the knights' banter as they made their way back toward Arthur and the rest. His mind kept replaying Myrina's quick exit. She had turned into a hawk there was no doubt about that. Which meant that she was a druid. There were many rumors about the druids of old and their powers. But Tristan had it on good authority that all the druids were killed. But she had escaped somehow.

"How else can you explain how beautiful your children look?" Lancelot teased. "Because they all belong to me."

Tristan rolled his eyes as he looked around into the woods. Suddenly, fear flowed through his entire body. What if it was a trap? What if she was waiting for the other knights and… No, it wasn't a trap. She had been scared. He had seen her face when she heard Bors. She wasn't happy for catching them, but scared. Still, his eyes scanned the woods looking for a hint of someone preparing to attack them, but saw nothing.

"Back to the Wall," Arthur commanded as soon as the rest of his knights joined up with him. Tristan let out a sigh as they rode out of the meadow and back to Hadrian's Wall. Part of him wanted to see that woman again and part of him was glad that he was never going to see her again. She had opened up a part of him that he wanted to keep closed.


	2. The Witch's Curse

* * *

Myrina stared down at the table in front of her. She rested her knuckles on the wood, but her mind was not in the world around her. She was deep in thought. Once again, butterflies entered her stomach as her mind thought back on her interaction with Tristan. She had stupidly turned into a hawk, trying to get away. Why had she done that? They would have probably escorted her to a village.

She shook her head. One knight she knew she could handle, but more than one scared her. She had acted first before thinking out her options. It was her one major flaw. She was quick to act. She rarely thought first and then acted.

A shiver ran down her spine. There was no doubt in her mind that Tristan had seen her turn into a hawk. And yet, the knights had given no indication that they were looking for a druid or even the Woads. No, they had returned to the wall. The Woads were still unsure as to why the knights were out past the wall.

Myrina scratched her head. No one knew of that night. She had lied to her own family and said that her horse got scared from the lightning and threw her off. Soaking wet, tired, and sore, she had taken up shelter in an abandoned cottage. When asked about her clothes, she had lied and said that she had burned them to stay warm.

Tristan... She did her best not to think about the man. After all, he was the enemy. Over the past year, there had been only five skirmishes between the Woads and Arthur's knights. The results were normal, perhaps one Sarmatian knight dead and more than ten Woads dead. They were deadly fighting machines, but the Woads were persistent, especially when Arthur and his knights went north of the wall, which was rare. And the Woads never ventured south of the wall.

Watching Tristan fight and kill her people angered and scared her at the same time. He was so ruthless, but he had to be. He was fighting for his life, and they were fighting for their land. The Sarmatian knights themselves were not bad. But they followed orders and their orders came from Romans.

But this last fight... he had seen her. She was sure of it. She wasn't a part of the battle, like so many of the other Woad women, she wasn't allowed to fight. It was sad really. In the ancient times the women fought alongside of their men. It gave them strength and a good advantage. But now there were fewer Woads. Merlin refused to risk the lives of those who had to continue bearing Woad children.

So Myrina, like Guinevere, had to sit in the sidelines and watch as their people died. At least she got a closer view. Myrina was always a hawk during those battles, making sure to perch high up in a tree. And it was just two days ago that they had seen Arthur and his knights and had attacked them. Myrina was up in the tree, watching, waiting, and then she heard a noise. She looked down only to see a bow and arrow pointed straight at her. She couldn't move from her fear. Behind it was Tristan. His face remained passive and then he frowned. Slowly, he lowered his bow and disappeared into the woods. She didn't know what to think about that. Had he recognized her?

"Are you alright?" Guinevere asked, surprising Myrina.

"What?" Myrina replied, looking up at the Woad princess.

"You have gone into one of your brooding moods," she pointed out. "It happens each time you see Arthur and his knights." She cocked her head curiously at Myrina. "And it started after your cousin's death."

Myrina blushed and looked away. "I am well," she said.

Guinevere opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by her father's entrance. He looked surprise that the two women were there but then smiled. "Ah, good," he said. "My two daughters." He clasped his hands on their shoulders. "It is time."

They looked at him in confusion.

"Time?" Myrina asked.

He nodded. "My girls. It has been too long. It is time for you to marry."

For a moment, panic crossed both of their faces. He smiled softly at them, shaking his head. "You are getting too old, my dears. I have allowed the two of you to grow older, hoping you would find a man you would care to live the rest of your life with. Guinevere, you are my daughter and the princess of our people. It is time that you marry and as you have shown interest in no one I must insist that you marry Brandon. He is of noble druid blood and indeed worthy of you."

He turned his attention to Myrina. "Your gifts may be passed down to your children. We will need them if we are to win against the Romans. There is a young man in one of our neighboring tribes. His father is the leader. He has expressed his interest in wedding you, and I have talked with his father. It would do us good and strengthen our alliances."

Myrina didn't move as she slowly digested what Merlin had said. She had never really thought about getting married. It didn't scare her, at least, she was sure it didn't. She just never really thought about it.

"Father," Guinevere started but then stopped. She saw the determination in his eyes. She knew that there was no way she could dissuade him.

"Very well," Myrina said, surprising Guinevere.

Merlin smiled at the two, nodding his head. "I will make the arrangements," he said before he left.

"Do you really wish to marry someone you do not know?" Guinevere asked once her father had left.

Myrina shrugged. "Your father is right. My gifts may be passed on to my children. I'm now nineteen years of age and I have yet to marry."

Guinevere eyed her as if she didn't believe her. Myrina frowned, before finally looking at Guinevere. "It has just occurred to me," she said. "Have you seen my Brandon recently?"

Guinevere frowned in return. She shook her head. "No," she said. "I'm sure he is well," she said, trying to force a smile, despite the dread she felt. Why did it feel so wrong? It wasn't as if he didn't leave often. Even before his cousin's death, Brandon rarely stayed around the village during the day. Sometimes, he would be gone two or three days at a time, but still. Her senses tingled. It just felt wrong.

The two women walked out of the cottage and blinked as their eyes quickly adjusted to the sun. It was already getting low to the ground, but they still had a few hours before it completely disappeared.

"Rina!" Darren, Myrina's brother, shouted as he rode up to them. He pulled on his horse's reins and looked at her with worry.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Brandon wants us to meet him at Sadie's Lake," he said.

"Us?" Guinevere asked.

Darren shook his head. "Not you. Just us siblings. Have you seen Nola?"

Both women shook their heads.

He growled. "He said it was urgent and we had to be there before sunset. Guinevere, if you see my sister will you tell her to go there?"

Guinevere nodded. Darren held out his hand to Myrina who grabbed it and pulled herself up on the horse behind him. He kicked his horse to a gallop and the two were soon gone. Guinevere watched, even after they had disappeared from her sight. She felt a shiver run down her spine and wrapped her arms around herself. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

* * *

Lucan screamed in surprise as Nola wrapped her arms around his waist and threw him into the lake. He staggered to his feet and threw water at her, making her scream.

"That's no way to treat my brother," Evander, Lucan's oldest brother and guardien said into Nola's ear. He picked her up, making her scream, and threw her into the water.

"Could you not be more original?" she teased as soon as she surfaced.

He gave her a cocky smile as he shook his head. "But my lady," he said, giving her a mock bow. "I had thought of it first, you had only acted on it first."

She rolled her eyes and splashed water in his direction.

Lucan looked at Nola then back at his older brother. The two were almost perfect for each other. Well, in his mind, they were perfect for each other. She treated Lucan as if he were her little brother, and she was nice and sweet. He wanted the two to get married. And he knew that his brother was thinking about it. Lucan was becoming impatient. She was nice, sweet, thoughtful, and a druidess with the power to heal people. Not that she was able to use that power, but still. His brother was crazy for not asking. There was no telling if another man would beat him to it, and then they would lose her.

"Why don't you marry?" Lucan finally asked, breaking the laughter as Nola splashed Evander.

She stopped and looked at him in surprise.

"Lucan!" Evander said firmly, shaking his head.

"What?" he asked almost innocently. "I understand what it means. It means that Nola joins our family and never leaves it. What if someone else were to marry her?" He looked at his brother in distress.

Nola laughed, shaking her head. "Your brother would have to be dead for that to happen. But no matter what, Lucan. I will always take care of you." Suddenly, she shivered.

"Let us go. It is getting dark," Evander said as he picked up a cloak and handed it to Nola. She gratefully accepted and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Nola?" Darren asked in surprise as he and Myrina rode up.

"What are you doing here?" Nola asked.

"I was going to ask you the same question," Myrina responded as she got off the horse. "Evander, Lucan," she said, acknowledging the two men. They nodded in return.

"Brandon asked us to meet him here. I told Guinevere to tell you," Darren said as he dismounted.

Nola frowned. "I have not seen him for quite some time. Why does he wish to see us?"

Evander fidgeted. "Do you feel that?" he asked as he looked around.

"Siblings!" Brandon's deep voice seemed to boom all around them. He strode out of the forest towards them. Although his arms were wide out as if to hug them, there was something sinister about his presence.

Everyone took a step back, making his stop and looked at them curiously. "No warm welcome?"

"Forgive us, brother," Nola said as she took a step forward. She was the peacemaker of the siblings. Always doing her best to make sure that they rarely fought. Myrina's hand reached out and grabbed her sister's shoulder, forcing her to stop.

He shrugged off their odd behavior and motioned towards the forest. "May I present to you my lovely new and blushing bride."

The group gaped in surprise as a rather lovely woman with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes walked out of the woods. "Cailyn, these are my siblings: Darren, Nola and Myrina," he said, clearly dismissing the other two.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Cailyn said with a smile as she neared them.

"Forgive us, lady," Nola said, but didn't step toward her. "We have never heard of you or seen you before. Our welcome will not be entirely sincere. Brother?" She turned her attention to Brandon. "When did this come about?"

"She's a witch," Darren said. Everyone looked at him in surprise. He had paled as he looked at her. It was as if he had seen a ghost.

"He is right," Brandon said, stepping in front of Cailyn. "But her powers are great and she will help us win back our home from the Romans."

"Magic comes at a price!" Myrina snapped. "Did you forget father's sacrifice?"

Brandon's eyes narrowed, but it was Cailyn who spoke. "My magic does not have a price. Trust me, young druidess."

"All magic comes at a price," Myrina said firmly.

"Why should _I_ remember father's sacrifice? After all, it did not effect me. It was you and Nola who received his blessing. That blessing should have been mine. _I_ am the eldest. His eldest _son_!" Brandon snarled.

Evander picked up his bow and aimed an arrow at Brandon.

Brandon slowly turned his attention to Evander and smiled evilly. "That was a mistake," he whispered.

Cailyn cackled as she reached her hand out toward him. A black smoke like ball appeared in the palm of her hand and flew out, hitting Evander in the chest.

"Evan!" Nola screamed as she ran to the spot where he landed. "Lucan, run!" She screamed.

Darren grabbed the bow and fired an arrow, hitting Brandon in the shoulder. "Nola, Myrina, run!" he shouted.

Nola hesitated for a brief moment before she ran into the forest.

"No!" Brandon shouted, angry that Nola had gotten away. Cailyn flicked her hand in the air, sending Darren flying across the field.

Myrina couldn't move. She couldn't believe what was happening.

"See," Cailyn snickered. "My magic is powerful, and it doesn't come at a cost."

Myrina gave a quick glance in Darren's direction. She wasn't sure if he was alive, although she had a feeling that he wasn't. She looked back at Brandon and Cailyn. The two just watched her, as if waiting for her to do something.

"Why, Brandon?" she almost cried.

"Why?" he asked. "Can't you see? Her power is what I should have received from father. Or we should have. You can change into an animal, but how is that useful except for spying? Nola? She heals, but it practically kills her. But look at Cailyn. No side effects. And do you know why? Because the spirits didn't abandon her. We let the Romans take over our land and now we are suffering because of it."

Myrina felt her clothes fall away as she changed her shape into a hawk. She couldn't and didn't want to hear what else her brother had to say. He sounded so bitter and so wrong.

He screamed. "Cailyn, she's getting away!"

 _"The form you take will be the one you must keep for all eternity, and only the first man you see, your maser, can free you,"_ the woman's voice seemed to echo in Myrina's mind. She felt her bones set in place as if they were going to be that way forever.

"Rina!" Brandon called, almost too sweetly, but she refused to look at him. A sharp pain ran through her right wing, but she ignored it. She could feel her tears whelm up in frustration. But she's a hawk now – they don't cry.

As if on cue, thunder roared overhead and she felt the rain start to hit her wings. If she had any common sense she would have landed on a tree and waited until the rain stopped. But, she had to get away from her brother and his crazy new wife. That witch, she must have cursed him somehow. Put him under her spell. There was no other explanation. Was he always that crazy?

The pain in her wing caused her to lose her balance and fall towards the ground. She shrieked in pain and at the last second pulled herself up, but her wing hurt too much for her to fly anymore. She crashed into the muddy ground and stopped moving. Her body was in too much pain for her to move. She allowed her eyes to close and felt her body slip into unconsciousness. Then someone gently picked her up knocking her back into consciousness. She shrieked in anger and tried to bite the person.

"Easy, now," a man whispered gently as he stroked her chest.

Her vision cleared and she looked at the man. There was something awfully familiar about him. The sharp pain shot through her entire body, and part of her realized that something was missing. It was her human body; she could no longer picture it.


	3. Stronger at Night

_Myrina ran through the forest. The trees and bushes seemed to lash out at her and grabbed at her dress, ripping it. She ignored them. Someone was calling her name. Suddenly, she stopped. She was in the middle of a large open field._

_"Hello?" she called out._

_There was no one in sight. A small, soft sigh came from her left. It almost sounded like a young child or woman. She turned and covered her mouth. A small little ball of light floated in front of her. Tentatively, she reached out toward it, but it disappeared._

_Her heart dropped slightly. Then, further into the field she saw another. Quickly, she chased after it. The land around her was similar, but she didn't seem to notice as she followed the wisp. It stopped on top of a hill. She bunched up her dress and quickly climbed the hill. She ignored the pain in her chest as she continued to climb. Despite its look, it seemed to get steeper and steeper with each step that she took. Finally, she reached the top._

_"Myrina," her father's soothing voice said._

_"Father," she whispered in surprise. And then she recognized the area. It had been where her father was sacrificed. He smiled as he reached out his hand to her._

_Suddenly, the pain in her chest grew intense and she collapsed onto the ground. She felt his hand on her back, dulling the pain. She wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him._

_"Is this real?" she asked._

_"To some," he said. "But you can't stay long. They will come for you soon. You must listen to what I have to say."_

_She pulled away and nodded. He was dressed in the same manner in which she had last seen him._

_He touched her chest and she saw black smoke reach out toward him. He quickly pulled away. "The witch's curse is powerful," he said, shaking his head. "Her power comes from fear, hatred, and the life of another, but she made a mistake. She used your brother to help her in this curse. The spirits have taken away the gift that he had, strengthening your own. It has not broken the curse, but it has made you stronger. She grows weak at night. That is when you will break free, but beware of the day. Rina, I…"_

_She couldn't hear him. It sounded as if she were in the middle of a storm. Thousands of wisps seemed to surround her, glowing brighter with every second. Her father's hand slipped from her fingers. She screamed and reached out toward him, but felt nothing._

Myrina opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times. What had just happened? It wasn't a dream, it was too vivid. And her father felt too real.

She shook her head and tried to stand. Pain shot through her, making her look down, and she realized that her body was different. Her legs weren't those of a human but that of a bird. She screamed in surprise, only to realize that her scream was that of a hawk. She struggled to gain some sense of balance and flapped her wings in the air, only to be greeted with more pain. Her right wing was covered in a white bandage.

"Easy now," a man said softly. She looked up and cried out in surprise. She didn't recognize him, not immediately. From the rocking motion they were on horseback, but at her distress the man stopped his horse and got off. He carefully untied the makeshift basket that he had placed the injured hawk in and put it down on the ground.

She watched him uneasily as he took out a string of meat.

"You must be hungry," he said as he dangled it in front of her. She stared at him almost in disbelief. "Maybe not," he said as he put it away.

If she could have she would have rolled her eyes. Instead, she fluffed up her feathers and hopped to her feet. She raised her wings as if she was getting ready to fly, but the pain made her think otherwise. She tried to hop away but found that her foot was tied to the basket.

"You might not want to do that yet," the man said with a small smile.

Myrina looked up at him ready to glare then immediately recognized the man - he was Tristan. She almost fell back in surprise.

"I'll let you go once you are healed," Tristan said as he picked up the basket and tied it back onto his horse. Myrina watched him intensely but didn't move. "I'm afraid you're going to have to find your way back home though," he said as he mounted his horse and nudged it into a trot. "I've had to keep on moving."

She tried to untie herself with her beak, not exactly to escape her injured wing made that almost impossible, but she wanted to prove that she wasn't his prisoner. She couldn't. Finally, she let out a peep of frustration and settled inside of the basket. He hadn't turned to look at her. His body blocked her from most of the wind and inwardly she smiled. She didn't know why but she felt safe around him, and a part of her mind told her that even if she tried she could not leave him.

The rain started to get worse and he looked for a place for them to stay. Without even looking at her, he placed his cloak over the basket, shading it from the water. But that effectively covered her view. Still, she settled herself into the basket. There really wasn't much else she could do.

She focused her mind on other matters, since escape was not possible. The witch had cursed her and her brother had helped her. He sounded so bitter and angry. He had never hinted at the fact that he was jealous that she and Nola had abilities. Yet, her father had said that he had abilities as well. What they were, he didn't say. But…

She gasped as pain shot through her limbs. She felt as if her entire body was on fire. She felt the bones throughout her body grow in length and change. Not now. She tried to fight it, but her body was having none of it. It wanted to return. It wanted to be human again. The pain blinded her as she felt her wings become arms. The magic that flowed through her veins seemed to become stronger and quickly got rid of the pain. She would have fallen from the horse if Tristan hadn't grabbed her and pulled her toward him. Her body was too weak to fight and she shivered as the wind picked up. A cloak was placed around her shoulders and she weakly wrapped it around her body.

She felt his arms wrap around her body and pull her off the horse.

"Can you walk?" he asked, despite feeling her entire body leaning against him.

She nodded weakly and took a step before collapsing. She was wrong. He tied the cloak around her and lifted her onto the horse. He didn't waste a minute before mounting up behind her. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. She could feel her magic fighting the curse and winning, but the unexpected transformation had tired her out. She felt the scout lead his horse away from the path and into the woods before she lost consciousness.

* * *

"Help her now!" Brandon snapped as he kicked open the door to a cottage. The inhabitants looked at him in surprise. The husband quickly stood up as his wife gathered the children behind her. Brandon ignored them as he threw the food and plates off the table and placed Cailyn's unconscious body on it.

"I said now!" he yelled as he glared at the woman.

Her husband withdrew his sword. "Get out of my house!" he snapped as he stormed toward Brandon.

Cailyn reached out and grabbed the man's tunic. She pulled him toward her and kissed him. He looked surprised as his sword dropped to the ground. Brandon quickly grabbed it and looked at the man's wife and children.

Cailyn finally let the man go and he fell to the ground. The woman screamed her husband's name as she rushed to his side. He didn't move.

"No cost?" Brandon yelled at Cailyn.

She didn't look at him as she slowly moved her muscles. "Your sister is right. There is always a cost to magic. Normally, it never costs _me_ anything," she mumbled.

One of the little boys grabbed a knife and ran at her. Brandon didn't move to protect her, but she didn't seem to care. She grabbed the boy's wrist and easily pulled the knife away.

"Please, don't hurt him!" the mother cried as she fell to her knees.

Cailyn snorted as she pushed the boy back and stood up. "And hurt myself instead?" she chuckled, shaking her head.

The mother grabbed her children and moved to the corner of the house. There was no other way for them to escape as Brandon stood near the door with a sword in hand. It was clear that he was ignoring them, but the mother couldn't take a chance.

Cailyn knelt near the fireplace and gathered up some ashes. She cupped them in her hands then threw them in the air. The ashes turned into a little flying creature. It perched on the table and looked at her expectantly.

"Find a little injured hawk and tell me where she is," she commanded.

"And Nola?" Brandon demanded.

Cailyn looked at him as if he were stupid. "She is back in Merlin's protection by now. Do you wish for us to walk into that village as we are? No, we will have to get her later." She walked over to the mother and her two children and touched their faces. The three turned away in disgust. "Is that rain?" she asked as she looked up.

Brandon nodded.

"Woman, your guests are cold and hungry. Why not greet us properly?" She sneered, making the woman shiver in horror.

* * *

Myrina's hand twitched, causing her to wake. She blinked in confusion, trying to settle her mind. Her brief sleep had been entirely dreamless, or, if she did dream, she didn't remember it. The pain in her right arm had dulled down to a small throb. She took a breath then looked around. She was inside of an abandoned leaking shack. The embers of a dying fire lay near her. She could hear the pattering of rain as it softly hit the roof, and every once and a while a drop or two will fell to the floor of the shack.

A cool breeze traveled through the open window and hit her. She wrapped a blanket tighter around her. That was when she realized that all that covered her was a thick blanket, a cloak, and a long white shirt. She immediately sat upright and looked around. Tristan sat slumped against one of the poles that kept the shack up. His head was down against his chest, hair covering his eyes, and he held a sword in one hand.

Very quietly she pushed the blanket off her body and slowly stood up. She knew he had seen her transform from a hawk into a woman. He had been kind by finding shelter and placing her near a fire with a blanket to keep her warm. But her loyalties still lay with her people, and she had to get home, tell Merlin, make sure that Nola was alright. Myrina slowly opened the door, and felt the cool breeze of the early morning brush over her. She looked back at the scout for one last minute. She would find him again and she would give him back his cloak and shirt, but for the moment she was not about to run back home naked. He didn't move as she walked out into the dark woods.

The sun wasn't up yet and it didn't seem as if it would rise for a little while, so it was hard to get her bearings. She frowned and closed her eyes, looking for the bird form. Her body protested at her attempt to change. She sighed. So she would have to walk.

It didn't take her long for her eyes to adjust to the dark. She decided that once she found a path she would take it in any direction; she knew most of the towns north of Hadrian's Wall and she could easily figure out how to get home from there.

"Do you want me to take you back home?" a man asked, making her whirl around in surprise. Tristan stood behind her frowning. "Didn't you learn last time?" he asked as he walked toward her. "The woods aren't a place for a young woman who doesn't know how to protect herself!"

"I thought you were asleep!" she stated as she took a few steps back.

"I was," he said with a nod. "The door was left open."

Myrina cursed herself for forgetting to close the door. She had been so preoccupied about getting back home that she completely forgot to close it behind her. "I'm sorry," she whispered making him stop in his tracks.

"I'll take you home," he said as he extended his hand to her. She shook her head vigorously not meeting his eyes.

"You can't come to my home," she said.

"Why not?" he asked, taking a few steps closer to her. Something about his advances made her body tense.

"My people won't welcome you," she muttered. Her mind screamed in anger at herself. She could have claimed any village as her home but she was too exhausted to think straight.

The scout grabbed her and pushed her against a tree, moving too quickly for her to react. "You're a druid," he said softly in her ear. His words immediately made her tense.

"How… no!" she lied, but knew that her answer didn't convince him. He let her go and stepped back as if surprised that he was actually right. She summoned all of her strength not to fall to the ground and cry. "Are you going to kill me now?" she asked him softly.

He turned his back to her as if trying to think. Finally, he shook his head. "You must be one of the last," he said, turning to face her.

"The last," she said in a soft voice as she looked at the ground. She refused to let him know about her siblings. Brandon… no, he didn't count. But Nola, she was still alive. She frowned. "How did you know?" she asked. He raised his eyebrows as if surprised by her question. She refused to take it back, despite the stupidness. She knew how.

"When you transformed from a hawk into a woman was my first clue," he replied. "I had heard of druids and how some had to ability to transform into animals or at least claimed to have that ability. We were taught that all of them were killed."

"The Romans still told you about us?" she asked with a frown. He nodded gravely.

"We were taught how to recognize one of you in case we ever came across any who _might_ have survived." Myrina grew pale at hearing his words. She looked at him in concern but his eyes didn't hold malice.

"If you want I'll take you to the closest village, but from there you will have to find your own way home," he said.

"Why help me?" she asked.

"Do you want it or not?" he asked, almost sounding short with her. She hesitated then walked over to him. She wrapped her left arm around his right and allowed him to lead her back toward the shack. They walked silently for a while. "Why did you transform from a hawk into a human in front of me?" he finally asked. "You had to have known that I am a Sarmatian knight."

"I don't know," Myrina answered with a frown. The sky was growing lighter indicating that the sun was close to rising. "It was like I had to," she whispered more to herself than to Tristan.

Tristan stopped and looked into the woods in alarm.

"Wha…"

"Hush!" he said quickly as he placed his finger against her mouth. He yelled in pain as an arrow flew out of the woods and hit him in the shoulder. He pushed Myrina to the ground and pulled out the arrow. Two men jumped out of the woods and charged him. He barely had time to unsheathe his sword to defend himself from the men.

"Well, well," a man said mockingly, making Myrina look up. "What do we have here?" the man asked with a smile.

She scrambled to her feet and tried to run, but he grabbed her borrowed cloak and pulled her to him. She screamed as she slammed her fists against his chest, but he just laughed at her futile attempt at making him let her go.

Tristan desperately fought against the two men. He was far better than they were in skill but he kept on thinking about getting to Myrina, and his thoughts were distracting him.

She screamed in pain and grew limp in her captures arms. The leader dropped her by accident and stared at her. She withered and convulsed in pain. Her body started to shrink in front of their eyes. Feathers started to grow over her body and Tristan took that distracting moment to kill the two he was fighting. He ran over to Myrina and slammed his sword into the last man who stared down at the druidess in shock.

Tristan pushed the dead body away and knelt down. A hawk pushed herself out of all the clothes that she was under and stared up at Tristan. Her eyes were sad as she looked down.

The scout frowned as she looked away. "What are we going to do now?" he asked her. "Can you change back?" He wasn't sure if she could understand him, but either way he wasn't sure what he could do. He had to return to Hadrian's Wall and couldn't afford to waste an entire day to wait for her to transform back.

The hawk shook her head as if to say she couldn't change back.

"Well," he said then paused. "I guess it will be easier for you to return home in that form." She looked at him then shook her head making him frown. "I'm sorry, but I can't wait here all day. I have to report back to Arthur," Tristan said as he got up.

She flapped her wings and clumsily lifted herself into the sky. In no time she flew past the trees and entered the morning clouds.

Tristan looked up after her and waited. Finally, he looked away and walked back to the shack where his horse was waiting.


	4. Hadrian's Wall

Myrina followed Tristan as he rode down the road toward Hadrian's Wall. It still baffled her why she was following him. Every time she thought of changing course, returning home, she continued following him. Her mind thought one thing and her body ignored her. Did he know she was following him? Would he be suspicious and shoot at her? So far he hadn't done anything to indicate he knew she was following him. What would she do once they reached the wall? She didn't know anyone there, and he had no reason to protect her identity.

She had a suspicious feeling that the only reason why she was following him was because she was cursed. She remembered the words that the witch had screamed out as she flew away. _"The form you take will be the one you must keep for all eternity, and only the first man you see, your master, can free you."_ If this man, Tristan, was indeed her master than she would have to find a way to make him free her. This meant that, despite her brain screaming at her to leave his side and go home, it was impossible. She wondered if he could feel it. Did he feel her? She didn't feel him.

Myrina continued to think about the curse while she flew. It was supposed to be for all eternity. The wisps! They must have helped strengthen her enough to change back to her human form. She thought back on her father's words. The witch was weak at night. It sounded strange. After all, witches were associated with the night. It didn't matter. If she was hawk by day then that meant she was human by night. Which came down to only one question, how would being human at night help her situation.

The constant questions in her head bothered her. She didn't have any real answer for them. She let out a little cry of frustration and looked down below her. Tristan had been riding within her view only moment ago, but now he was gone. She cried out in panic and circled overhead. Finally, she spotted him in the woods near a small stream. She loved her hawk eyesight. It was very easy to find the target that she wanted.

It was nearly mid-day when Tristan decided that he had to rest his horse. He was extremely uneasy as he pulled his mount off the road into familiar woods. During his entire ride he had felt as if someone was following him, but he hadn't seen anyone. Once he felt a shadow fly over him, but when he looked up he only saw clouds. He smiled in relief as he saw the small stream that lay near the woods; it was his favorite resting spot. He didn't believe that anyone knew about the stream even though it was fairly close to the road. He had frequented that small resting spot and had never seen a single person.

The scout dismounted and led his horse to the stream. The beast seemed grateful for the rest and drank while Tristan emptied one of the saddle bags. In that saddle bag he pulled out some food. Thoughts of returning to Hadrian's Wall and getting a decent hot meal enter his mind. He couldn't help but get slightly excited at the thought. He wasn't one to complain, but he also knew how to enjoy himself, even when it appeared that he wasn't. To everyone around him, he was a man of little words.

As he took a bite out of a piece of bread he felt someone watching him. Very carefully he placed his hand on his sword and waited. A shadow fell over him causing him to look up. He watched in astonishment as a hawk circled overhead then landed on the saddle horn of his horse. It took the hawk a couple of seconds to adjust itself before finally staring at him expectantly.

"Rina?" he asked with a frown. The hawk nodded her head in acknowledgment.

The horse snorted and flicked his tail.

Tristan pulled out some meat and walked over to her. Holding it over her, she quickly grabbed it from his hand. "You do realize where I'm going?" he asked as he held up more meat.

She took it from his hand and nodded her head after eating it.

"Why are you following me?" he asked then shook his head. The question was too complex for the hawk to answer him. And, he wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that she meant him no harm. It almost felt natural to have her by his side. "Are you going to follow me all the way to Hadrian's Wall?" he asked her.

Another nod.

He bit his lip and turned to think. It wasn't unusual for him to bring back animals after a trip. But that wasn't what he was afraid of. She could change her body from a creature to a human at will. At least, it was supposed to be at will. The events from earlier in the morning had started to make him think that something was wrong. "There are those at Hadrian's Wall who will kill a druid if they see one," he warned, turning to face her.

She looked back at him with fearless eyes. Then as if to show that she was brave she puffed out her feathers.

Tristan blinked in surprise then started to chuckle, shaking his head. There was mischief in her eyes. It was strange for him to see a hawk behave the way that she was behaving, and he couldn't keep it in any longer.

Myrina looked at him in anger and let out a loud sharp cry.

He nodded his head, and lost his smile. "You are correct," he told her. "You will have to act like a hawk if you are going to stay in that form." He looked at her in complete seriousness.

Myrina nodded her head and took a deep breath.

"And we're going to have to work on our communication skills. We can't let anyone suspect that you aren't a hawk. I'm going to have to teach you, but for now, whenever I give a long whistle you will come to me," he commanded. Myrina rolled her eyes, but nodded her head.

She took one last look at Tristan before clumsily pulling herself up into the sky. Tristan shook his head as he watched her hover over him. They were going to have to work on her flying skills too. She didn't act like a hawk and her flying was terrible. At least she was smart, and she understood him.

"What are you doing?" he whispered to himself. "This is a terrible idea." He mounted his horse and looked up. She circled overhead. Her life was in his hands, and once they entered Hadrian's Wall his would be in hers. If he was found to be harboring a druid he could be killed. This whole idea was dangerous. He knew he wouldn't betray her. He wouldn't tell anyone that she was a druid.

"It's a game," he tried to convince himself. "See if you can get away with it." There wasn't much in life that truly excited him, that made him feel alive. Yes, she was perfect. They were both walking a dangerous path and the wrong move would kill them. It was a great challenge.

* * *

Myrina made sure that he flew almost directly above Tristan. Now that he knew she was following him she had no reason to hide. She wasn't exactly hiding earlier. There was just no reason to reveal herself. She only realized that she had to show herself when she realized that Tristan was the only way she could be safe in Hadrian's Wall. There was nobody else she could trust. Trust? Yes, she trusted him. She had too. Her life was literally in his hands. It didn't appear that he knew. That was going to be her advantage. If he didn't know that she was cursed to him then she would have to find a way to get him to release her, without him knowing.

Myrina dropped her altitude a little. There was only one thing that worried her the most. He had been too quick to agree to help her. She couldn't help but feel a little suspicious about that.

Something tightened around Myrina's neck, choking her, knocking her back into reality. She immediately started to hover, and looked around to see who was choking her, but she was alone up in the sky. She looked down only to find that Tristan was no where in sight. She let out a cry of surprise and frantically looked for him. The choking grip around her throat began to loosen. She sighed in relief when she realized that she was ahead of him.

She hovered overhead, waiting for him to catch up, and looked around. Her eyes picked up movement ahead of them. She focused her attention on the area. A very small caravan of people huddled together as they fended off bandits. She quickly dove toward Tristan, screeching a warning.

He looked up at her and pulled his horse to a stop. The horse eyed the bird, but didn't move.

He withdrew his bow and readied an arrow. She peeped, shaking her head. Then she turned and started flying in the direction of the people in distressed. She didn't have to look behind her to see if he was following her. She could hear his horse's hooves as it galloped to keep up with her.

It didn't take her long to zoom out of the forest and straight into an open field. A woman screamed, and ducked. Myrina forced herself to fly higher in the air, barely missing a bandit who was chasing after the woman. The bandit stopped in surprise, giving Tristan the extra second to shoot him. Two more bandits soon fell with arrows in their chests.

"Git 'im!" someone yelled as he pointed at Tristan.

The scout didn't say a word as he killed the man. Two bandits rushed at him with raised weapons. He jumped off his horse with sword in hand. His face was blank as his body automatically moved for him. He easily parried the bandits' attacks and in no time killed the two. More men shouted as they left their would-be victims and rushed to avenge their fallen comrades.

Myrina circled over head and watched as Tristan easily killed them. His moves were quick and he made it look so easy. She frowned to herself when she remembered the attack that had occurred earlier in the morning. At that time it was almost as if Tristan wouldn't have been able to kill the three. They were no better than the ones he was killing now, but why did he seem so helpless then?

A child's scream caught the druidess ears and she searched for the person who was crying for help. She found a bandit dragging a little girl away from the battle and into the woods. Tristan would never make it. He wasn't even paying attention as more men attacked him. She looked back at the man. Once he was gone it would be very difficult to find him again.

She shrieked in anger as she dove at him. He turned at the sound of her cry, dropping the child. His hand automatically went for his knife, but he was too slow. She dug her talons into his face and eyes, effectively blinding him. He screamed in pain and swung his knife in the air in front of him. She wasn't even there anymore. The child saw her opportunity to escape and quickly ran back toward a group of women.

The blind man slowly retreated, covering his bleeding face. He held his knife near his face and kept swinging at the air, daring her to attack again. She had no reason too and rose back up in the air. The rest of the surviving bandits were running away. Tristan shot two of the men in the back allowing only two to survive. The man that Myrina had blinded and another bandit who had run into the woods after Tristan had killed five of his friends.

"Thank you, kind sir!" one of the surviving men of the caravan said as he walked over to Tristan. The man's clothes were torn and bloody; if he had any wounds on him they weren't serious.

Tristan nodded his head in acknowledgment and looked around for his horse. The beast stood patiently near the end of the field. The scout let out one sharp whistle and the horse immediately went to him.

"Is that yours?" a woman asked Tristan as she pointed to the hawk that landed on one of the wagons.

"Yes," he replied with a nod as he looked at the hawk. He noticed blood on her talons and knew that she had fought one of the bandits.

"We are going to Hadrian's Wall," the leader of the caravan said. "Are you headed that way?"

Tristan nodded as he mounted his horse and looked at the man. "I am," he stated and sighed. He knew what the man was going to ask.

"Please travel with us to the Wall," the man said as he looked at Tristan intently. "We would be most grateful for your protection."

Tristan nodded of his head. There was no need for words.

The man smiled and motioned for everyone to get ready to leave. It didn't take them long to start on the road again, much to the relief of Myrina and Tristan. Just before they headed out, the little girl that Myrina had saved ran over to Tristan's side.

"Sir?" she asked as she looked up at him. He looked down at her but didn't say a word. "Your hawk saved my life," she continued when she realized that she had his attention. "Here," she handed him a glove. As soon as he took it she ran back to the wagons and quickly disappeared into one.

Tristan examined the glove that the girl had given him. It was old, used, but sturdy. Tristan turned back to look for the little girl, but she had disappeared among her people. It had to have meant something to her for her to give it to him. He placed the glove on his left hand and held it up. Myrina slowly glided over to him and landed on his gloved hand and looked at him as if grateful.

* * *

The sun was already setting when they finally reached Hadrian's Wall. Myrina could feel her magic growing stronger in her blood and couldn't wait to go somewhere private.

"I think Arthur's influence has become much too great for you," a man with short black curly hair told Tristan as he saw the group of people behind the scout.

"Lancelot," Tristan said with a wave of his hand. Myrina looked at the curly haired knight curiously. Besides for Arthur, Lancelot was one of the most notorious knights in the group. He was well known for his great battling skills and womanizing ways.

"Adding more animals to your collection?" a tall knight asked as he walked over to greet the scout. Tristan looked at Myrina as if he had forgotten about her even though she was still on his hand.

"I must speak with Arthur, Dagonet," Tristan said as he dismounted.

"Are the rumors true?" Lancelot asked curiously as he followed behind the two knights. "Are the Saxons coming?" his voice held excitement.

"I need to report to Arthur first," Tristan said refusing to answer Lancelot's question.

"You're no fun," Lancelot grumbled as he turned and walked away.

"Ah, Sir Tristan," Jols said pleasantly as the scout and Dagonet walked over to him.

"I need to speak to Arthur," Tristan said to Jols.

"I'm afraid you are going to have to wait," Jols said, shaking his head. "Arthur is in a meeting right now. Is the news urgent?" Tristan shook his head making Jols smile. "Then go to your room and rest. Once Arthur is done I will send for you."

Tristan opened his mouth to protest but Myrina flapped her wings vigorously causing him to look at her.

"Beautiful hawk," Dagonet said as he went to pet Myrina. She opened her mouth, and Tristan pulled her back just before she was able to bite Dagonet's hand. She let out a shriek of frustration, and flapped her wings, fighting him.

Dagonet raised his hands into the air. "I meant no harm, little lady," he said. Turning his attention to Tristan he smiled.

"She's still not used to people," Tristan said trying to excuse her behavior. He looked at her with reproach.

"I should not have thought her tamed yet," Dagonet said with a smile as he backed up. "You, be good." He winked at the hawk and walked away.

Tristan turned and walked toward his own home. He didn't actually own a house but more like a room. He had no reason to own anything at the Wall. Eventually, he would return to his real home.

Tristan opened the door to his room and had to take a quick step back as a large black dog nearly pounced on him. "Easy," he said, holding Myrina up in the air.

The dog quickly sat down and wagged his tail as he looked at the hawk.

"No!" Tristan said firmly, shaking his head.

Myrina nodded in agreement with Tristan. The dog didn't understand as he continued to watch her and wag his tail. He licked his chops before turning and jumping up on Tristan's bed. He gave her one last look before sighing and lying down.

Tristan let the dog be as he looked around for a place to put the hawk. She let go of his hand and perched herself on the side of a dresser. He watched as she studied his room. "I will find you more clothes," he finally said. She turned her full attention to him.

He walked over to his dresser and pulled out her dress, placing it on the bed near the dog. "Don't attack her," he commanded.

The dog groaned, but then lay back on his side as if he meant to sleep.

Tristan turned his attention back to Myrina. "I will find more clothes for you." He didn't wait for her to peep her response as he left his room and closed the door behind him.

She looked out the little window. It was fairly dark outside. Suddenly, pain rushed through her entire body. It wasn't as strong as the night before, but it still hurt. She forced herself not to scream as she felt the bones on her body changing and readjusting to her human form. She felt her knees touch the ground and she put her hand over her face and closed her eyes. Unlike last time, she didn't have the overwhelming feeling of losing consciousness. So, her conclusion was true. She had to be a human at night and a hawk by day.

She grabbed her dress and put it on. She couldn't believe that he had it. Why had he kept it for almost a year? The thought scared her a little. Suddenly, she felt something wet and slobbery against her cheek. "Disgusting," she whispered as she wiped her cheek and looked at the dog. He looked back at her with intelligent eyes as he panted.

She tried to get on her feet but her legs weren't use to walking quite yet, and she found herself on the floor again. The dog walked over to her and looked at her in concern as she pulled her legs under her and tried to stand again. Eventually, she had to use the bed and dresser to pull herself to her feet. She didn't dare move until she felt steadier.

"You live with an interesting man," she told the dog as she took one uneasy step. The dog sat and watched her as she took another step. Her legs felt weak while her arms felt heavy from all the flying she had done.

Finally, when she felt that her legs were alright, she sat down on the bed. The dog quickly jumped up and joined her. She laughed as he licked her face, covering her cheek with saliva. "No, stop!" she commanded with a laugh. The dog immediately stopped licking her. She chuckled, shaking her head.

The door opened and she quickly stood. She knew she was blushing as he entered with a few dresses in his hands. He held them out to her and she gratefully accepted.

"Thank you," she said. He nodded as his eyes slowly roamed her body, sizing her up. She swayed, but looked back at him.

"Why did you follow me?" he asked her as he held out a bone. The dog immediately jumped off the bed and sat down, wagging his tail ferociously as he waited for the treat.

"I… ummm…" she stammered unsure of what to say. Although she felt relaxed around him she still didn't want to tell him what she suspected.

"You could have gone home but instead you followed me here. Here were you of all people would not be welcomed. If they find you…" he paused then looked into her eyes. "I can not protect you and they will kill you if you are found."

She returned his gaze then looked down. "Tristan," she whispered then looked at him. "The reason why I followed you is because…" she paused. She couldn't tell him that he was her master. She still didn't know him, didn't know what he would do if he found out that he could basically make her do anything he wanted. "You saved my life twice now. The first time I got scared and left far too quickly, but now I can and I have to repay you. I am in your debt and until I can save your life twice, you will not be free of me." Myrina smiled more to herself than to him. She was rather pleased with herself for her quick answer. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either.

He didn't reply immediately as he thought. "Are you always going to turn into a hawk during the day and a woman by night?" he asked her. Myrina bit her lip and nodded her head. So, he did buy her excuse.

He sighed, shaking his head.

"It's was what I thought would be the less conspicuous. But it's hard to keep that form all day. They say that the longer one is not oneself the harder it is to return. I would rather not be a hawk all my life."

"If you are going to be a hawk by day then we will need to work on our communication skills. You need to be more calm and collected, despite what you see," he said. "Staying around me means you will see a lot of fighting, and sometimes I will fight your people. You do understand that."

She nodded.

"Then we will have to also work on your flying skills. You aren't as graceful as a hawk. And some of your actions are not that of an animal. Do you understand me when you are a hawk?"

"Of course," Myrina retorted as her eyes narrowed. She knew that Tristan was trying his best not to let anyone know what she was, but she didn't like his tone of voice. It was almost as if he were talking to a child.

"Well that will make it easier for me to give you commands. We'll just have to find a way for you to communicate with me more easily," he said as he petted his dog absent mindedly. "What are we going to do about you at night?"

She frowned, then shifted nervously. She hadn't thought about that. She couldn't stay with him. She wasn't that kind of woman. He read her face and shook his head.

"You will sleep in my bed for now. I will take the floor. Unfortunately, the new group of people have filled the inn. And you have no money in which to pay for a room."

"I can sleep on the floor," she quickly interjected.

He gave no indication that he heard her as he stood. "Are you hungry?" he asked. She stared at him with her mouth open. He had changed the subject far too quickly for her mind to keep up.

"Uh… ye… yes," she stammered.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked her as he stood up.

"Umm…" she frowned trying to think.

He opened his dresser and pulled out a small leather pouch. "There is a tavern just down the street. The knights frequent it, but Vanora makes a good meal. She will feed you." He turned and handed her a few coins.

Her hands shook. He was giving her his money so that she could eat something. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. "What about you?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I must report to Arthur, but I will go to the tavern shortly," he paused then frowned. "Or, if you wish, you may wait for me until I return."

She opened her mouth, but her stomach growled. "It appears that I may not be able to wait," she said. "Are the people friendly?"

"Far too friendly," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "But you need not fear them. Tell Vanora that I have sent you and she will take care of you," he said casually.

"Thank you, Tristan," she said as she walked out of his room.

He watched her for a brief moment before heading toward Arthur's quarters. His heart pounded in his chest. There was no point in hiding her. It would create a bigger scandal. Not that he cared what people thought, but, for some odd reason, he cared about what people thought about her. It was strange to think that he thought of her reputation. She clearly didn't think much about it. But then again, she didn't seem to think that she was going to stay long. He could tell, from her face, that she wasn't planning on staying long. But he had a nagging feeling inside of him that told him that she was going to stay for much longer. .

"Tristan!" Arthur said pleasantly. Tristan looked up to see his commander walking down the road toward him. It looked as if Arthur was on his way to the tavern. "What did you find out?" Arthur asked his face immediately becoming serious.

"If the Saxons are going to invade they will not do it any time soon," Tristan stated. "From what I was able to gather they are waiting for someone. No one knows whothese Saxons are waiting for, but I think it was someone who came here to see how weak our forces are. I'm guessing that they will attack late this summer or early autumn."

Arthur frowned and sighed. "I'm sure that Rome will send more soldiers if the Saxons decide to invade. Let's hope they invade later rather than sooner."

"I will hope that they don't invade at all," Tristan muttered more to himself than to Arthur who looked at him in surprise.

"I know you just got back but I need you to join me tomorrow morning," Arthur said as they headed toward the tavern.

Tristan nodded.

"I hear you save a caravan and came back with a hawk?" Arthur teased.

Tristan only nodded.

"Let's see if we can put your hawk to the test then."

"If you wish," Tristan said. There wasn't much else he could say. Either way, she was going to be following him.


	5. First Night

Although Arthur had started to walk to the tavern with Tristan he soon became side tracked with one people of the town. It was Arthur's greatest weakness in Tristan's mind. No matter how important a mission or what Arthur wanted to do, he always stopped and listened to the complaints of the more common folk. Not that Tristan wasn't one of those common folk. But he wasn't one to complain either. He was always baffled by the fact that Arthur would readily help someone who was in need, even if they were enemies. And in the back of Tristan's mind, he had a feeling that Arthur's generous and noble ideas would be the death of him.

Arthur's constant need to help those in trouble had rubbed off on all the knights, despite their belief that it hadn't. Dagonet was a lot like Arthur. If they weren't fighting, he was almost always found around sick people. Gawain found himself helping the family and friends of his girl, despite his very loud protests. Even the great and proud Lancelot had his noble moments. The man had no problem "comforting" a woman, even if she was married. But he was always quick to defend her if there was ever a fight. Most women knew to go to him if they were being abused. They didn't even have to sleep with him for him to make their husbands get back in line. But they never refused that request either.

And Tristan? Well, he was a little different. He didn't like people so much. Their constant need to talk when there wasn't a need annoyed him. He had learned at an early age that people cared little for his opinions if he constantly said them. But speaking up every once in a while surprised people, and made his words all the more powerful. It was the animals that Tristan found himself helping. It was not unusual for him to bring back a dog, cat, bird, or any type of animal if he thought it was being abused or was injured. And that's how he had gotten himself into his current mess.

The sound of merrymaking brought him out of his thoughts. He stopped just inside the shadows of the tavern and looked out at his comrades and the other people who inhabited the town. It took him a little bit longer than it should have to see Myrina. He hadn't immediately recognized her. She had chosen to sit at a table closer toward the main tavern. Lancelot was sitting next to her and Galahad across from her.

Tristan clenched his fists and forced himself to calm down. Of course Lancelot was already on her. He probably sensed her presence the instant she stepped foot in the city. It appeared that the man's single mission was to bed every girl he saw.

Tristan turned his attention to Myrina. Was this her mission? To get close to the knights and spy on them? What was he doing bringing her here? She was an enemy. A druid. If she was found all, all he had to do was lie. They would believe him over her. He closed his eyes and breathed out, trying to calm his mind. No, he couldn't lie, even if it meant saving his own life. Promises and words were important to him. Besides, he would lose the respect of his comrades if he lied.

He crossed his arms and leaned against a pole. The girl had guts, despite her young age. She showed no fear, despite being in a town filled with her enemies. Maybe she was here to spy on them. Maybe she was going to stab him in the back and give away vital secrets to her people. And yet, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that she had to be around him. He frowned and thought back. He hadn't felt like that before. No, this feeling came when he had first picked her up when she was a hawk. He felt as if something had wrapped around him and that she was bound to whatever that was. Which meant that she was bound to him?

"My sweet and beautiful Myrina," Lancelot said rather loudly. "I must confess. From the moment that I had laid eyes on you I knew that you were my soulmate."

Bors snorted into his mug. "Yeah, till ya sleep wit 'er. Then we'll hear. 'Oh, your beauty is too much for me to bear. I'm afraid I'm too ugly for one such as yourself.'" He snorted, hiccupped then took another gulp.

Lancelot looked completely horrified. "I would never," he said as he reached out and grabbed her hand. "You will be my moon and stars. Our night together will be glorious. I fear I will die of loneliness if you refuse me tonight."

Tristan straightened his body and started to walk toward them. From his vantage point, he could easily read her face and body and saw that she was nervous. Suddenly, she squared her shoulders and smiled the sweetest smile at Lancelot. Tristan paused in his step. He couldn't control the woman, and had no right to tell her who she could and couldn't sleep with.

"I will make sure to mourn the loudest tomorrow for causing your death on the morrow," she said as she gently patted his hand.

There was a brief silence as if everyone was shocked by her refusal to sleep with the handsome knight.

Lancelot blinked in surprise, unsure of how to respond. Despite her tease, he could clearly read that she had no intention of ever sleeping with him. Vanora was the only exception to rebuffing his advances, but that was more like a game between them. He had no real intentions of sleeping with one of his friend's current lovers. This woman was single and yet she didn't want to be with him.

"Be still my soul," Bors muttered. "Did the lass just reject our Lancelot?"

"A girl after my own heart," Vanora said with a laugh as she refilled her lover's mug.

Lancelot looked at Vanora then at Myrina. "My sweet ladies," he said, quickly recovering his charm. He smiled. "I shall not give up," he said, picking up Myrina's hand he gently kissed it. "You shall see. I am a true knight, noble, valiant, and faithful."

Bors spit out his drink and laughed whole-heartedly on that last bit. "Here's to Lancelot. The truly faithful knight of us all," he teased as he raised his mug.

"Here, here!" Gawain shouted as did a few others.

Myrina blushed deeply, but refused to look away. "I hear you are valiant, yet faithful to a woman is another story."

"The lady's word does strike right here," Lancelot said, hitting his chest with a clenched fist. "What must I do to earn your trust and your heart?"

"You will never be able to win my heart, sir knight," she said, moving her body back a little.

"Oh, fate is so cruel. Very well, if I cannot win your heart then surely there is a way to win your body?" He said, giving her his best smile.

She blushed at the implication and quick rubbed her hands together.

"Is he bothering you?" Tristan asked, smoothly stepping into the conversation.

She looked up at him and smiled with relief. "Tristan," she breathed.

It was difficult for him to keep his face unreadable as the hairs in the back of his neck stood up. He liked the way she said his name.

Lancelot looked from Myrina to Tristan and back again. Tristan focused his attention to Lancelot who quickly stood up and raised his hands in surrender. "I see that you already have a companion for the night," he said, standing up.

"We're not…" Tristan and Myrina both said at once, but Lancelot stopped them by waving a hand in the air.

Lifting his head up high he shook. "I have been bested for today," he said with a low bow to Tristan. "Perhaps tomorrow I'll have a better chance. That way you can compare and see which of the two of us is better." He winked at Myrina before sauntering over to another single woman.

Galahad looked up at Tristan who took Lancelot's spot on the bench. "And I shall see what my brother is doing," he said quickly excusing himself.

Myrina looked around before looking at Tristan. "You do realize that we're…"

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Don't worry, Tristan," Vanora said as she walked over to them. She had two plates in her hands. "Always with perfect timing." She placed the food in front of the two before returning to her lover's lap.

Myrina stared down at the food then slowly started to eat it. Tristan was a master at eating as if no one was looking at him. But he could feel many eyes watching him. It wasn't normal, but he had a feeling that it was because of Myrina. He had shown little interest with any woman or human for that matter. He would have found the scene comical, if he were not a direct participant.

Slowly, the voices from the various people in the tavern grew louder as they became more inebriated. It didn't take Tristan or Myrina long to finish their food. Instead of leaving, like he usually did, the two sat at the table and looked around. He realized that she liked to watch as much as he did.

She turned and looked at him, smiling for the first time at him. "Were you able to find Arthur?" she asked, breaking the silence between them.

He nodded.

"Good," she said. Her jaw tensed ever so slightly as she stifled a yawn.

"Would you like to retire for the night?" he asked her.

"If you don't mind," she said with a shy smile.

He nodded his head and got up first then offered his hand to her to help her to her feet. The two made their way around the outskirts of the tavern toward the road that lead to his room. He blinked in surprised realization that his hand was gently placed on her hip, and she made no move to displace it. Her steps quickened when they neared the road, causing his hand to leave her hip.

From the corner of his eye, he saw trouble. Lancelot and one of the Roman guards were staring at each other. Suddenly, the guard stood up and threw the table to one side. Tristan was quick; grabbing Myrina by the waist he pulled her back. She shrieked in surprise as the table landed where she had been walking a moment before.

"No!" Galahad shouted as he rushed at another Roman. Then all hell broke loose. The Romans ganged up on the two knights. Only, that was a mistake. Tristan quickly left Myrina's side in favor of protecting his comrades. The fight only lasted a minute before someone disrupted them.

"Attention!" Arthur's voice boomed, causing the Romans and Sarmatians to stop fighting. Both groups looked guiltily at their commanding officer. After all, Arthur was in charge of the entire town. "I think we have had enough fighting for tonight. Valens. You will take your squad out tomorrow and head down north. Bandits attacked a group of merchants which Tristan helped today. Lancelot, Galahad. You will be joining Tristan and I at first light tomorrow. We will be going east."

"As you wish," Lancelot said, saluting the man. The rest grumbled their own acknowledgement of Arthur's orders before slowly leaving the tavern.

"Were you hurt?" Tristan asked as he turned and looked at Myrina.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "But you were." She reached out and touched his lip. Her cold fingers soothed the throbbing. "I wish," she started to say, but stopped. He blinked in surprise as she quickly pulled away. "Sorry," she muttered.

He motioned for her to continue walking, and she nodded her head in agreement. He walked behind her as he thought and gently touched his lip. Her hand, although cold, was soft. And there was a sadness in her eyes. A sadness that he wanted to take away.


	6. A Rabbit for You

For a fourth time Tristan checked his gear. He was a little nervous to say the least. Myrina, the hawk, perched on one of the rails just over his shoulder. She looked tired and swayed every now and again as if she were sleeping. It was unnatural. He didn't blame her for being tired. He wasn't even sure when she went to sleep. Although she had done her best to keep quiet and not disturb him, yet he had heard her crying.

That was what baffled him the most about her. She didn't have to stay with him. He had told her that she didn't owe him anything. But she still acted as if she did. He half expected her to be gone by morning. Her quiet crying during the night convinced him that she was homesick. He was already ready with an excuse about her and the hawk's disappearance.

And then the sun rose. It was the first time he actually slept till sunrise. Her transformation unnerved him. It looked painful and every once in a while she grunted and moaned, but didn't cry out.

The hawk let out a cry of surprise as she fell off the rail, bringing Tristan out of his thoughts. Jols laughed at the bird. She hovered in the air as she looked around as if surprised by what had happened. Tristan shook his head and turned to look at her. She couldn't pull it off. Just looking at her he could sense that there was something off with her. No one would be able to believe she was a real hawk.

"And there is the man of the morning," Lancelot stated, stopping Tristan in his tracks.

The scout was going to tell her to go away or back to his room. He was going to voice his fears, but now he couldn't. He couldn't let his comrade see him talking to a bird.

Lancelot let out a yawn as he grabbed the equipment to saddle his horse. "I…" He threw the saddle on his horse then stopped and looked over at Tristan, smiling evilly. "What was she like?"

The hawk perked up at those words. Tristan controlled his face, trying not to show anger. "None of your concern," he stated.

Lancelot moved to the other side of his horse and looked Tristan up and down. "You didn't sleep with her!" he accused. "How is that possible? Such a fine lass as the one who went with you last night? I know she went into your room. Did you sleep on the floor?" Lancelot snorted then laughed rather loudly, making Tristan tense in anger.

"What is funny?" Dagonet asked as he casually entered the barn.

"Dags," Lancelot said pleasantly to the man. "I hadn't expected you this morning. But, our friend Tristan had a rather beautiful lady stay in his room for the night and did not have sex with her."

Dagonet raised his eyebrows and looked at Tristan curiously. "Is she a female relation?" he asked.

"I had not thought of that," Lancelot said before Tristan could say anything. "Please tell me it is so so that I know I can woe her without fearing competition from you."

Tristan busied himself with his horse, despite the fact that there was nothing for him to do. "We are not related," he said, sensing Myrina's sharp hawk eyes on him.

"Damn," Lancelot stated.

"Knights," Arthur stated as he entered the barn. Jols brought out Arthur's saddle horse and handed the reins to him. "Shall we depart?"

Tristan easily swung onto his horse's back and held out his gloved hand to the hawk. He started to whistled, but she was already on his hand. The other knights didn't notice as they mounted and rode after their commander.

"Next time wait for me to call you," Tristan whispered before he kicked his horse into a cantor.

* * *

 

They were only a few hours into their patrol before Lancelot complained about being hungry.

"Think that hawk of yours can catch a rabbit?' Arthur asked.

Tristan looked down at Myrina whose head was covered by a little hood. They had to be as authentic as possible. "She is still young and was never trained for it," he said.

"A hawk doesn't know how to kill a critter?" Lancelot snorted.

Tristan took off the little hood and Myrina looked around. He flicked his wrist, loosening the jesses. She took off into the air and circled overhead. The knights seemed to spot the little critter before she did. Tristan looked up at her, trying to get her attention, but then she finally saw it.

Tucking her wings close to her body, she dove down. She didn't even reach the rabbit before she forced herself back into the air.

Lancelot let out a loud laugh as he clutched his sides. "Did it just rise up to soon?" he scoffed.

Tristan frowned. Myrina seemed a little dejected as she landed on Tristan's hand.

"I hope you didn't pay money for that bird," Lancelot continued, shaking his head. "Stupid thing. Can't even catch a rabbit like the others. Oh, you have your work cut out with this one."

Tristan opened his mouth, preparing to defend her when she suddenly rose into the air and disappeared into the forest.

"Did I anger it?" Lancelot asked then laughed even harder.

Arthur frowned. "Will it return?" he asked Tristan.

The scout wasn't sure what to say. "Yes," he finally said.

"Will we really wait for the bird to return?" Lancelot asked.

Arthur looked at Lancelot then at Tristan. "Do you wish us to wait?" he asked.

Yet another hard question. Although their patrol wasn't that important, Tristan didn't want to keep them waiting. But if they continued and Myrina found them then that would raise more questions. But if he asked to wait then it would give more firepower to Lancelot to make fun of her. He wasn't fond of either idea.

"What?" Lancelot shouted as a corpse was dropped just over him, raining fur, blood, bones, and everything else onto his body. He flicked the dead creature away and glared at Tristan as the hawk nonchalantly landed on his hand. "That bird did that on purpose!" he accused.

Dagonet and Arthur laughed as Lancelot tried to get the remains off of him, but it was a useless task. He would have to change in to new clothes to get the stench out.

"Never anger God's creatures," Arthur said, shaking his head.

The hawk pretended to not notice as she preened her feathers.

"Let us continue," he said as he kicked his horse into a trot.

After that little event the rest of the day was peaceful to say the least. Myrina spent most of the day flying overhead as Lancelot made sure to keep a close eye on her. He didn't trust her after what she had done earlier. It was nearing sunset by the time they had returned to the Wall.

Dagonet, Lancelot and Arthur left the barn, leaving Tristan alone in the barn. Well, not alone. The stable hands were also there, taking care of the other three horses. Although there were enough stable hands to take care of Tristan's horse as well, he preferred to do the job himself. It was his way of thanking the beast. Myrina didn't turn into a human as she watched him.

When he finished he raised his arm up toward her and she landed somewhat clumsily on it. She seemed to be a little exhausted from their day, even though she didn't have to hunt after the rabbit incident.

They made it back to his room without anyone interrupting them, and Myrina found a perch to sit on. Tristan frowned. He half expected her to change into a human the second they stepped into the room. Her sharp eyes seemed to examine the room, and he wasn't exactly sure what to do or say.

 _Privacy,_ his mind screamed at him. She wanted privacy before she changed.

"I'll be outside," he told her as he stepped outside. The sun continued to slowly set as he paced in front of his room. What if she couldn't change when she wanted. Although he had now known her for a few days there were specific things that he had picked up on. When the sun rose she turned into a hawk and when it set she was a human again. Maybe this wasn't by choice. Maybe she wasn't a druid, but cursed to be a hawk by day and a woman by night. If that was true then the real question was, if she was cursed and not a druid was she really a hawk turned woman or a woman turned hawk? Judging by her reactions as a hawk he knew it was safe to assume that she was a woman.

Tristan looked up into the sky and realized that it was already dark. "Rina?" he asked as he knocked on the door then slowly opened it. She lay on the bed, facing the door. Her eyes were closed and she breathed steadily, deep in sleep. He quietly walked over to her and pulled a blanket over her body. She snuggled in deeper and let out a content sigh, but didn't wake up.

He looked down at the little makeshift bed that he had and laid on top of it. He didn't think he was tired, but he was soon fast asleep as well.

* * *

"I can't believe I was exhausted last night," Myrina said as she and Tristan headed toward the tavern. He was tempted to reach his arm out and let her hold on to it, but resisted the urge.

Their day had been anything but busy. Tristan spent most of it practicing with all of his weapons while the hawk Myrina watched him. They had slept the entire night and neither woke up until just before dawn. Tristan had spent most of the day trying to keep up his routine, but he had found it difficult to concentrate with Myrina watching.

"Yesterday we worked hard and today I have the appetite," she said then giggled. "Although, I don't think I could eat a rabbit for quite some time."

Tristan let a small smile cross his lips at that. "I believe Lancelot may have the same sentiments."

"I hope so," Myrina said, shaking her head.

"Although, I suggest that you start acting more like a hawk,

"You two are early," Vanora commented as the two sat down at a corner table. The tavern was relatively quiet since it was still fairly early. "You look refreshed, Myrina," she said.

Myrina smiled sheepishly. "I had a boring day," she said.

Vanora looked at Tristan then at Myrina before sighing and waving her hands in the air. "It appears so. A lovely lady like you home alone? Tristan doesn't satisfy you dear? If you are in need to liven your day you can always come to the tavern. I can use some help every now and again." She winked before leaving.

Tristan looked back at Myrina. "They will continue to speak in that manner unless you find your own proper lodging."

"I'm sorry, Tristan," she whispered. "If it bothers you, I'll find a place to stay."

He shook his head. "It is not that it bothers me," he said. "I fear my comrades do not understand that not everything has to deal with sex. I cannot stop them from talking about it."

She blushed at those words. "It doesn't bother me, but…"

He caught her hand and let out a small smile. "Then we need not speak of it." He immediately regretted his words as she shrank back. He had hoped they would comfort her. After all, she said that it didn't bother her. He didn't want them to continue the conversation. She was already looking uncomfortable as it was.

"And there is the lovely goddess of the moon," Lancelot sang as he twirled over toward Myrina.

She let out a large smile then laughed as Lancelot bowed deeply toward her.

"May I sit?" he asked as he motioned toward the other side of the table. Before Tristan could object Myrina nodded her head.

"You may," she said, raising her nose as if she thought highly of herself.

"Forgive me for being late, my lady," he said. "I'm afraid that Tristan's ill trained hawk soiled my clothes with a corpse of a bunny of all things." He shook his head as if disappointed.

Myrina laughed. "You are saying you didn't do anything to anger the creature?" she teased.

Lancelot looked at her horrified. "I would never insult one of God's beautiful creatures," he said, raising his hand in the air as if he were swearing.

Tristan did his best to hide his emotions as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Just the night before she hadn't wanted to play Lancelot's game and now she was all for it? Slowly, he clenched a fist under the table. "Calling a bird stupid is not insulting?" the words came out of Tristan's mouth before he could stop him.

Lancelot blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Tristan to say anything. Then he smiled is most dashing smile and looked at Myrina. "I fear I sometimes upset our friend. He loves his animals. Apparently more then he loves people. But I am in need of some mead and food. I will return later." With that, he was gone.

Myrina looked up at Tristan, making him look down at her. She has a curious expression on her face. He wasn't exactly sure what it meant.

"So you are the young lady that Lancelot has been professing his new found love for," Dagonet stated, making Myrina jump. She hadn't sensed the large man behind her.

"Has he?" she asked. "I hadn't noticed."

"Dagonet," Tristan said with a nod of acknowledgement toward his comrade.

"May we speak, my lady," he asked, giving her a short bow. "If my friend allows it."

Myrina looked at Tristan then at Dagonet. "I don't need his permission to go somewhere," she said as she stood.

Tristan stood up and cleared his throat. "I will return to my quarters," he said, giving them both a nod of his head.

"Very well, my friend," Dagonet said.

Dagonet took Myrina's hand and placed it under his as they walked in the opposite direction that Tristan was going.

"Lovely city," he said as if he were looking at it for the first time.

"A little scary," she admitted. "I'm used to small villages."

"I'm sure you are. But I'm sure you're used to dealing with the likes of Lancelot. However, I doubt you have met many like Tristan."

She let out a nervous chuckle and nodded her head, despite that being a lie. She was honored and respected in the village. Everyone knew who she was and what she could do. She was also the unofficial daughter of Merlin. Of course they all honored her.

Dagonet suddenly stopped and turned to look at her. "Why are you here?" he asked her. His eyes stared into hers. Now came the hard and yet easy part. She would tell him the truth, not all of it, but most of it. She had learned long ago that the truth was easier to remember than a lie. All she had to do was omit the things she didn't want him or anyone else to know.

"I owe Tristan my life, three times now actually," she said.

"Hmm," he replied. "You do realize that he doesn't count it. What I mean to say is that, to him you owe him nothing. Never have and never will."

She nodded. "But it doesn't seem right to me now. Having him save me three times from death and not repay him somehow."

"Yet you are not sleeping with him," he stated.

Myrina pulled away from him. "Do you mean to imply that I should show my gratitude toward him by whoring myself to him?"

"No," Dagonet said, shaking his head. "I'm just trying to ascertain how exactly you are repaying your debt. I do not wish for my friend to get hurt. You are staying with him, yet the two of you are not together. I think what intrigues me most is that. You seem not to care for your reputation. We can see that there is nothing between the two of you, yet you stay with him, creating rumors. Although you refused Lancelot's advances last night it appears that tonight you encourage them."

"I care not for what other people think of me," she said, folding her arms over her chest. "Once I repay my debt I will return home. What happens between me and any man is none of your concern."

"They are my comrades. Although you may not believe so, their hearts can be broken. I care little for Lancelot's heart as I don't believe he gives it out to anyone anymore. But I have never seen Tristan so protective and open toward anyone, especially a woman. He is like a brother to me. How exactly are you going to repay your debt."

Myrina frowned then let out a sigh. "I don't know," she finally said. "Dagonet. I don't wish to harm Tristan any more than you do. He's a good man. As for Lancelot, I don't believe his flattery. And I realized that it's a game he likes to play. So I decided that for my own peace of mind I would play along. I could never and would never be with him."

They continued their walk, the tension all but gone. "And when you repay your debt? What then?"

Myrina stopped walking and frowned. She had been so focused on keeping her secret from the knights she hadn't even thought about what she would do when she was free. "Then I'll leave," she found herself saying. Her heart started to beat faster at the thought, making her frown deepen. Why was she suddenly upset by that fact.

Dagonet watched her as she talked then smiled. "You are a brave woman," he said, lightening the mood. "Ignoring gossip the way you do. I will escort you back to Tristan's quarters."

"Thank you," she said.

"If Tristan trusts you then so do I," he told her. "You can always come to any of us for help if you are in need of it."

Myrina let her smile stay on her face although she didn't feel it. She couldn't help but question. Would they protect her if they knew she was of a druid line?


	7. Questions and Half Truths

Tristan frowned as he forced himself to focus even harder at practicing his swing. Every move he made felt wrong. It wasn't noticeable to most people, but if he had been in a real battle his enemies could pick up on his misstep and use that to run him through. But then again maybe he was overthinking that.

He set his sword down and closed his eyes, listening to his body. His breathing was labored, but there was no reason why it wouldn't be. He had been practicing with his sword for at least two hours. His heart pounded in his chest, partly due to his exercise and the other part was because he was nervous.

The realization of that emotion caused him to open his eyes and stiffen. Nervous? He did not get nervous. Looking behind him, he stared at the hawk. She didn't return his gaze as she preened her feathers. Hawk by day and woman by night. There was now no doubt in his mind that she had no control. Now the question that bothered him was why was she around him? Why not be with her family? Why stay close to him?

It was very likely that she would answer those questions for him if he asked, but he hated asking personal questions. She had only once given any indication that she was upset, and that was on the first night when she had cried herself to sleep. That was almost five days ago. The only logical conclusion that he could come up with was that everyone she knew was gone. Meaning when she saw him she decided to risk it, hoping he would protect her.

She stopped preening and cocked her head as she looked at him.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

She shook her head, making him nod. With that, he went back to practicing. He felt her eyes staring at him and it unnerved him. He was trying to do and be his best, but her gaze was making him feel like a fool. He forced his mind to ignore her.

"You appear to be struggling, my friend," Dagonet's friendly and yet teasing voice said.

Tristan grounded his teeth at the interruption. He had finally gotten into his quiet zone and now he was thinking again. "Dagonet," he said in his most polite tone.

"You do realize she's not watching you," Dagonet said as he walked over to where the hawk was perched.

She cocked her head as she watched the large man approach her.

"I do not understand," Tristan said, feigning ignorance. Dagonet knew him better than any of the other knights. Of course the man could see that he was struggling.

Dagonet ignored Tristan's statement as he stood next to the hawk. "I am told that you carry a grudge against Lancelot," he spoke to the bird. She stiffened. He pulled out what appeared to be a strip of fish. "A bribe," he said.

She reached out for it, but he quickly pulled back.

"Only if you promise to be a good hawk. We're friends, correct?" he teased, before reaching out his hand.

Her natural instinct caused her to nod her head, but she quickly tried to mask that move by bobbing her body.

Dagonet frowned slightly.

"Have you come to fatten my hawk?" Tristan asked.

Myrina fluffed her feathers at the comment, but he ignored her mood. The corner of his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"I have come to discuss Myrina," Dagonet said as he pulled out another strip of fish and dangled it near the hawk. She took the piece from him and shifted her body uneasily.

"There is nothing to discuss," Tristan said as he picked up his flask and drank from it.

"There is much to discuss," Dagonet replied. "Who is she? How do you know her? Why are you allowing her to stay with you? And where does she go by day?"

Tristan could see Myrina shift uneasily. It appeared that she was getting ready to fly away.

"How long have you known her?" Dagonet persisted.

"A year," Tristan replied.

This answer surprised Dagonet and even Myrina. "A year? Come now, Tristan. How has it that you have never talked about her? Do I not tell you everything?"

Tristan looked at the hawk before sitting down next to his comrade. "I have told you. She is the young woman I saved from those bandits last year."

"She's the one?" Dagonet asked. Then he shook his head and let out a loud laugh. "Did you not tell me that you would never see her again?"

"We happened to cross each other's paths when I was returning," Tristan continued. "I promised to give her a safe place to stay for the time being."

"You trust her?"

Tristan nodded.

"Do you like her?"

That question caused Myrina to look at Tristan. He let out a sigh as he stood up and picked up his bow. "She's in need of my help."

"And you're sure she's not using you? She doesn't disappear during the day to join her husband? Or is a Woad spy?" Dagonet reached out his hand closer to her, holding more fish. Tristan saw her intentions, but before he could shout out a warning she lashed out. Dagonet's reflexes were quick, for a large man, as he pulled his hand back and stood up. Her beak snapped at the air where his hand was.

"I thought we had an understanding," he said sternly to the bird. "You wouldn't want me to be an enemy."

She looked agitated.

"She's no spy and she has no husband," Tristan said, trying to bring Dagonet's focus back on him.

Dagonet looked at the scout then back at the hawk. "You are loyal to the lady aren't you?" he asked the hawk. "I do not wish to offend. I'm just trying to ascertain what is going on." He paused and looked at Tristan, who focused on the target in front of him. "Do you have feelings for her?"

Tristan lowered his bow and turned to look at his friend. "I don't see what that has to do with anything," he snapped.

Dagonet raised his hands in the air as if he were surrendering. "And I don't wish for us to fight. I will be going for now." He pulled out one last piece of fish and offered it to the hawk. She eyed him before taking it, making him smile. "Friends," he said before he walked away.

Tristan gave the hawk a quick glance. She looked perplexed as she watched Dagonet leave.

"He is a good man," Tristan said, causing her to look at him. "But you need to learn to act more like a hawk."

She let out a small cry. He wasn't sure if she was agreeing or frustrated with his comment. Either way, he had wasted enough time.

* * *

 

Tristan reached his hand out and Myrina landed on it with far more grace than she had ever done. He would have been impressed had he noticed. But he didn't. His mind was busy with thoughts that made him extremely uncomfortable.

Dagonet's visit a week prior had forced him to change his plans. He clearly didn't think that Myrina's physical absence during the day would be noticed. Maybe it wouldn't have had he been a knight like Lancelot. But he wasn't. And he knew from the beginning that if he pretended that she was related to him no one would believe him. And plus, what if they…

Tristan pushed those thoughts away. She hadn't given him any indication that she liked him in anyway. Yes, she stayed with him but they hadn't done anything. Besides, he was good at reading people. He knew when a woman was attracted to a man and she didn't look at him that way. And there were men that were far more attractive than he was that were fighting for her attention.

Lancelot, Galahad, and three Roman soldiers did their best to sit or be around her during the night. He had watched as they made her laugh. But it was Lancelot who worried the scout more. He was good at charming any woman, slowly breaking down their defenses till they couldn't resist him. It seemed to be working on her.

He felt Myrina tugging at him and absent mindedly let her go. She gave him a puzzled look before she flew off toward his room.

But why did he care? If she was happy with someone else, why not let her be? Because they may hurt her when she changes to a hawk. And because she belonged to him.

Tristan dismounted pushing that thought away as well. Belonged was a strong word. He didn't own her like he owned his dog and horse. And yet, he had this feeling as if he did.

He knew what he had to do.

The stablehands stared at him in surprise as he handed his horse's reigns to them. But he didn't bother to look at them. He had to do this now or he would never do it. He wasn't a man of very many words. But now the words were entering his mind. It had been two weeks and he knew just as much about her as he did since the day he met her. It was time for answers.

Tristan reached his room and pushed the door open and took in a deep breath.

"Tristan?!" Myrina shrieked as she placed the dress over her body.

He quickly turned and closed the door, keeping his back to her. He knew he was blushing and he wasn't even sure why. He had seen her naked before. Maybe it was because she was surprised and embarrassed.

"Forgive me," he mumbled. "I hadn't realized you weren't ready."

She grunted at that, but didn't say a word. He stared at the door and waited for her to say something.

"I'm decent," she finally said, allowing him to turn.

She looked up at him curiously and for the first time he allowed himself to gaze upon her. She wore a soft green dress that was a little too big for her. She had done her best to adjust it, but he could tell that it didn't fit her well. A tailor was needed, but she wasn't human during the day. And he knew of no tailor who did business during night. Her neck was bare, making him wish he had a necklace to give her.

Finally, his eyes reached her face. He expected her to look angry. After all, he wasn't being discreet about his gaze. Instead, she looked at him curiously. His heart dropped slightly. There was still the sadness in her eyes. Something that he had noticed and secretly hoped would have been gone by now.

"Do I look alright?" she asked, suddenly concerned. "I'm not part hawk am I?" She looked down at her chest then touched her neck quickly.

"No," he quickly said.

"Well… why were you looking at me like that?"

He opened his mouth to answer then closed it as he frowned. He hadn't noticed it before but, looking at her now, it appeared as if her veins had a green glow to them. He couldn't stop himself as he touched her neck. She didn't recoil instead she placed one hand on his.

"Does it hurt?" he asked her as he pulled away.

"No." She shook her head. "Well… not exactly."

The two were silent and he could sense the tension rising. It was a tension that both were clearly unused to. Her breathing deepened as did his.

"Tristan?!" Gawain shouted as he pounded on the door, successfully breaking their tension.

Tristan opened the door a little, only to have it be pushed even further by his dog.

"Brought back your brute," Gawain said. "Lady Myrina," he smiled and nodded to Myrina who smiled back.

"Thank you, Gawain," she said as she bent to pet the dog. "I have missed him."

"Lancelot has been asking about your whereabouts. He's at the tavern," Gawain said before turning and walking away.

"It appears that we should go," Tristan said.

"Very well," Myrina said with a smile before letting out a sigh.

Myrina heart pounded in her chest as she and Tristan walked down to the tavern. She had to use everything that she had to make sure that she didn't show her nerves. Why? What were these feelings? They bothered her. She had never felt that type of tension before. It excited and worried her. She didn't want to go to the tavern anymore. She wanted to go back to the room and think about what had just happened.

The tavern was far more rowdy than usual, but she didn't notice it as she sat down at her normal table.

"Usual, dear?" Vanora asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, please," she replied. It was then that she noticed that Tristan hadn't joined her. Instead, he had placed himself near Gawain and Dagonet.

"He's so scary. Does he not frighten you?" Two, Vanora and Bors' second child and old daughter, asked.

Myrina looked at the eleven year old girl and cocked her head. "He's not scary," she said.

Two snorted at that. "Mum says that when you're in love you don't see flaws in the person."

Myrina let out an uncomfortable laugh. "I'm not in love," she replied.

Two frowned. "But mum said…"

"Two!" Vanora's strict voice interrupted her daughter. "Git your brothers. Time for bed, little lass."

"But mum, I'm almost twelve," Two whined.

"And you ain't thirteen yet," Vanora snapped back. "I'm still your mum."

"Listen to your mother and git your ass to bed," Bors snarled, causing the little girl to jump to her feet and run off.

Vanora smiled at her lover who held up his mug.

"Child was keeping you from your duties. Don't know why you have so many," he chided.

"My lover can't keep his hands off of me," she responded.

"Aye, that I can't," Lancelot piped in, causing Bors to growl. Lancelot quickly got up walked over to Myrina when he spotted her. "My sweet, Lady Myrina," he said, giving her a deep bow. "You look like the sweet goddess Selene. If only you would grace me with your presence by day. I'm sure that Aphrodite herself could not compare to your beauty in the daylight."

"And shatter your illusions of my beauty? Then who will entertain me after I eat?" she teased.

"I'm beginning to believe that my charms do not work with you. Then I must change my tactics. Do you, perchance, have a father, mother, elder brother or sister that I can plead my case to? Ah! A sister. Perhaps she would be far easier to woe?" He smiled and leaned closer to her.

Myrina slammed her cup down on the table, spilling the remaining contents onto Lancelot. He looked at her surprised as she stood up. She didn't say a word as she walked away.

She didn't look to see if anyone was following her as she walked through the empty streets. She was far more angry than she should have been. She knew that Lancelot was teasing her, but the last comment, bringing in her family, pushed her over the edge. She looked up at the wall that surrounded the town and made her way up it.

A cool breeze greeted her, almost instantly calming her down. She wrapped her arms around herself but continued to walk. She gave a brief nod to the soldiers who stared at her in surprise before focusing their attention back to the land outside of the wall.

She placed her hands on the stone in front of her and looked out onto Badon's Hill. A shiver ran down her spine as she heard the echoes of a battle. Her mind played tricks on her. There was no battle, and to her knowledge, never had been in that area. A little green light hovered on the ground. Then another and another appeared. She frowned as she leaned in closer.

A hand grabbed her and pulled her back towards safety.

"Do you wish to end your life," Dagonet snapped in anger, making her look at him.

'Let me go!" she snarled, pulling away from him. "No! But what does it matter to you? You don't care for me."

He searched her eyes and whatever he was looking for he clearly found. "I care for Tristan, and he cares for you. Otherwise he would never have allowed you to stay with him. What do you think would have happened to you had I not been here to grab you?"

Myrina's first thought was of her turning into a hawk. Although she was still weak, she was confident in her abilities to save her life. "I would have pulled myself back," she replied. She looked down at her hands and realized that her entire body was shaking.

"Lancelot finally got the best of ya, eh?" he asked, forcing a chuckle. He leaned against the wall and looked out into the hill. Myrina hesitated before she joined him.

"I wasn't fair to him," she finally said. "He didn't know. But… He just reminded me. I'm a horrible person," she said. Placing her back against the wall she slid down and covered her eyes with her hands.

"What?" Dagonet turned and looked at her in surprised. He hadn't expected that last comment. He knelt and gently patted her back.

"Tristan's been so nice to me," she continued. "I haven't forgotten, but I've been so busy. Or maybe it's just that I didn't let myself think about them. I ran away, Dagonet. I ran away when I should have fought. But they had already killed my brother. And… I just couldn't. I wasn't strong enough. So I ran away. They probably got my sister, because I couldn't protect her. I have no one left. All my family are dead. And what's worse. It's been two weeks and I haven't even cried for them." Her voice cracked and her chest heaved as her body shook.

He forced her to look at him. "You are not a horrible person," he said firmly. "And I think I understand now."

"I let my family die, Dagonet. I let them die and I ran away. I didn't even try to save them." She couldn't hold her emotions in and began to sob as Dagonet wrapped his arms around her. For the first time in two weeks she allowed her emotions to take over. She allowed herself to grieve for her lost family.

Time seemed to stand still as Myrina sobbed. Dagonet didn't say a word, but held her until she finally pushed him away.

"I'm sorry," she stammered as she slowly got her emotions back under control. "I didn't mean to say that."

"Yes you did," the knight said with a soft smile.

Myrina wiped her cheeks with her hands then cleared her throat. She felt relieved as she looked up at him. Dagonet stood up and extended his hand down to her. She wrapped her fingers around his and he gently pulled her up.

"Thank you very much," she whispered as she dusted her dress off. "I'm sorry to have burdened you."

"It is no burden," he said. "I'm actually relieved you told me. But… I suspect you haven't said a word to Tristan, have you?"

She shook her head. "I was going to tell him. I think he knows. But," she paused and frowned.

"He won't think ill of you," he said.

"What?" she asked a little startled by his voice.

"Tristan. I think he would appreciate it if you told him. He may have guessed, but, he prefers when people tell him things. I know he's not good at conversations, but he's also a great listener. You should tell him."

"I…"

The sound of a creature screeching interrupted her. She screamed in surprise as a dark winged creature flew at her face. Covering her face with her hands, she took a step back. Dagonet grabbed her arm and pulled her over to him as he swung at the flying creature.

An arrow whizzed past them, barely missing the creature as it ascended. It gave another painful shriek before it disappeared into the night sky.

"Are you alright?" Dagonet asked as he pulled her back. A single long scratch crossed her cheek. "I have some salve, let me…"

She shook her head. "I would rather go to sleep."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She started walking off the wall and nodded, not bothering to look back at him. She was vaguely aware of his presence as her exhausted body automatically moved her to Tristan's room. There was a light throbbing from the scratch that the night creature gave her. She had already rationalized that the night creature was a bat and had somehow gotten confused.

"Thank you," she mumbled when she opened Tristan's door and stepped inside.

"Myrina?" Dagonet said, making her turn to look at him. "My friends call me Dags.

That brought a smile to her face. "And mine call me Rina," she said.

"Goodnight, Rina."

"Goodnight, Dags."

She smiled as she closed the door behind her. Tristan's dog looked up at her from the bed, making her chuckle. "I think everything will be better now," she told the dog as she pushed it over. "Much better."

* * *

 

_"I curse you!" a woman screamed._

_Myrina found herself in the middle of a village. Her father stood before her. In front of him was a blonde woman. Despite her hands being tied three guards had their swords pointed at her._

_Her father stood tall as he stared the woman down. "Your curses don't work here," he said._

_She spat on the ground. "Kill me and my husband will come here to avenge my death. As we speak, my daughter and men are safely making their way to him. You will not be able to catch them. And if you do not release me then his army will come here and destroy all of your people!"_

_"His army will come whether I release you or not," Calatin replied._

_The woman smiled evilly at him. It was then that her pretty face contorted into something hideous. "But I'll make sure that he spares your children," she said._

_He shook his head. "So that they can become slaves? You will die, witch. You use powers that no mortal should use. You take life from those most deserving to achieve your own selfishness."_

_Myrina slowly made her way closer to the witch. She looked similar to the one that her brother was with. Mother and daughter. It was the only explanation._

_"Then know this! You will die before your children. And each of your children will die a horrible death at the hands of my daughter. After they are no longer of any use to her." Without further warning, she lunged at Myrina, grabbing her hand. "You can't hide from my daughter for very long," she cackled._

_Myrina let out a scream as she tried to pull away. She felt as if her magic was being drained into the woman's hand._

"Rina!" Tristan shouted as he shook her.

Her eyes snapped open and suddenly she sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn't notice him stiffen as she pressed herself closer to him. Finally, she pulled away from him. "I'm sorry," she said. "Did I scream?"

He nodded. "Nightmare?" he asked.

"Do you believe in curses?"

"I didn't," he said. "I didn't even believe in magic. But then I met you. Why? Are you cursed?"

She didn't want to answer that question. "I'm sorry I woke you," she finally said and laid back down.

"No," he said, pulled her up. "It's time you explained things to me. Is it that difficult for you too…" he stopped, shaking his head. "If you do not wish to stay in my room and prefer to be with another man then you may do so. I shall not stop you."

Myrina frowned. He turned away and prepared himself to lie down on the floor when he felt her hands on his face. She forced him to look at her.

"I'm sorry, Tristan," she said. "It's not that I don't want you to know. I trust you out of everyone. You know who I am and what I can do. Yet you've protected me. I didn't," she paused. "I didn't want to burden you further with my troubles."

"You preferred to tell others?"

She shook her head. "Anything I've said as merely from my emotions. I… My parents died when I was young."

Her acknowledgement of her past surprised him.

"My siblings, cousin and I were taken to our uncle who raised us. My cousin was older than us. The first day you and I met, well… he had died. It hurt because he knew my parents more than anyone. My older brother refused to speak about them. And then the second time we met," she paused for a moment as her breathing deepened. "My brother had asked for us. We met with him, but it was a trap. He killed our youngest brother, and the man I'm sure my sister was going to marry. I ran away. I don't even know if my brother chased after my sister or not. I don't even know if she's still alive."

"You don't have to stay here," he quickly said. "You can leave if you wish. You owe me nothing."

She grounded her teeth. Yes, right now, she knew she could leave. But come day? What then? She would be in trouble. There was no doubt in her mind anymore that she couldn't be far from Tristan.

She shook her head. "How can I go back, Tristan? I ran away."

"You're a woman," he said. Immediately, he winced at his words. He had met plenty of brave people, men and women. And just as many cowards of both. "I mean…" He stopped midsentence. There was no recuperating from that.

She laid down and turned her back to him. "Goodnight, Tristan," she said softly.

"Goodnight, Myrina," he replied. Mentally, he kicked himself. This was why he tried not to talk. He always said something that he didn't mean. She wasn't a coward. Staying within enemy walls proved that much. She was very brave. She was just too hard on herself. That's what he wanted to say. She was too hard on herself. Sometimes a retreat was better. Better to live to fight another day than to not live at all. At least now she could get revenge.

Tristan let out a sigh. Of course, _now_ he had the right words to say. Tomorrow he would tell her. Tomorrow he would apologize to her. Tomorrow…


	8. Troubles with Friends and Foes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **A/N: For too long you have waited for an update. Sorry about that. I appreciate all of you taking time out of your day to read my story. Hope you continue to enjoy.**

* * *

Hawk Myrina shook the light drizzle from her feathers. It was a dreary day; one that she would have rather spent in town than out in the forest. Tristan didn't appear bothered by the weather, but he rarely appeared bothered by anything. The other knights, who were with them, all seemed to share Myrina's feelings.

The five sat under a tree eating. Galahad looked sleepy as he let out another yawn and wrapped his cloak tighter around him. Lancelot's eyes were darker than usual, and his shoulders drooped. He absent-mindedly dug at the ground with a small twig, while Gawain chatted quietly with Arthur. Tristan sat on a rock, re-examining his weapons again.

Once they were done resting they would head out again, slowly making their way back to the fort. There was no outlining mission this time. It was just a simple exercise. But the quiet day gave her more time than she wanted to think. It wasn't that she didn't have time before. She did, but this day was different. After last night's breakdown to Dagonet, Myrina had finally allowed herself to think about everything.

She thought about her family and had allowed herself to wonder. Did her sister survive? She would eventually find out. Either the knights would make their way up north (highly unlikely) or the Woads would cross the Wall. She knew that there were rumors of them planning to cross the Wall. This land belonged to them. It was only time before they started a bigger attack. They had heard rumors that the Romans were slowly leaving. And she was a witness to that fact. But she had no way of telling her people. They would find out soon enough though.

Tristan sneezed and she looked at him. Her thoughts hadn't stayed with her people for long. He would fight her people if they attacked. And if he died, would she be free? Or would she die or be doomed to around the area where he died? And then, her feelings surprised her. She had grown anxious of the thought of him dying. Even thinking now about him possibly dying upset her.

Myrina focused her attention on Tristan. His hair was wet from the drizzle, and her heart pounded harder when he turned his head slightly. She was a nobody to him. And yet he protected her, allowed her to sleep in his bed while he took the floor. Pretended that she was a hawk and kept her secret. And he had asked for nothing in return.

She wanted to do something special for him; needed to do something special for him. Cook? Dance? Sing? She wasn't a good singer or cook, but she could dance. But she had never seen him dance before. Maybe he would be too embarrassed. Maybe buy him something? But with what money?

She shifted uneasily. Come night, when she was human again, she would focus all of her attention on him. This night would be different, special. Inwardly, she smiled at herself as she pictured herself dancing an old dance just for him. She couldn't help but add him smiling, although it was a rare sight to see. If she were human, she would have blushed at the thought.

"How do you fair, Lancelot?" Arthur asked, breaking the silence.

Lancelot let out a broad smile and straightened his shoulders, before pretending to be sad. "My heart aches, Arthur. Sweet Myrina, who I fear is being poisoned by Tristan, was upset with me last night. I do not know what I did, but…" He waved his hands in the air as if exasperated.

Tristan rolled his eyes and Myrina let out a little shriek. Lancelot gave her a quick glance before smiling at Arthur.

"Maybe you should give up," Arthur said with a chuckle. "She plays your game, but her heart is not into it."

Lancelot feigned surprise and placed his hand on his chest. "I play no games."

Tristan let out a sigh and looked at her.

"I hear that the lovely Sarai has gotten into a fight with her husband yet again," Gawain said.

"Is that so?" Lancelot asked as he perked up.

Tristan clicked his tongue, making Myrina looked up at him. "Let's look around," he whispered.

"Don't wander too far," Lancelot teased. "Your hawk might not be able to find you."

Myrina and Tristan ignored him. She flexed her wings before lifting her body into the air. She loved the feeling of the wind beneath her wings. She circled overhead and waited till Tristan got on his horse before she flew toward the east.

The trees below her looked similar, adding to the gloom of the day. Instead of the rich golden autumn colors they looked brown and grey. She scanned the forest ground, looking for signs of life. Winter was close to setting in and the animals were becoming scarce, but the woods seemed eerily quiet today. Her senses told her that something was different, wrong. But her eyes didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Something slammed into her body, knocking the wind out of her, causing her to fall. She quickly regained her flight, only to be attacked by the little bat like creature again. It didn't give her a chance to look at it as the thing quickly flew down into the trees. She let out a shriek in anger and dove after it. Was it the same creature that had attacked her the night before?

She focused on the creature, pushing all of her thoughts to one side. Once she had it in her talons would she allow herself to think. It zipped into a bush and she quickly followed after it. She saw the netting too late. Screeching in surprise and terror, she placed her feet in front of her, wrapping her talons around the net. She became more entangled the harder she fought. The rest of the netting fell around her, wrapping her tightly.

"Well, lookie here," a man said gruffly.

Her world darkened as the man quickly placed her into a sack. She continued to shriek in distress, hoping that Tristan would hear her.

"Shut the damn thing up," another man hissed.

Myrina choked as something hit her, knocking her out.

* * *

Myrina woke up as soon as her body hit the bottom of a tiny barrel. She looked up, just on time to see a man's face before he closed the lid over her. She shrieked in frustration, but the barrel was far too cramped for her to be able to do anything about her situation. It didn't help that she was still tangled in the net.

The voices outside were muffled, making it impossible for her to make out any words. She wasn't sure how long she had been knocked out. She highly doubted it had been for very long. That little creature had led her into a trap. The witch!

She couldn't believe how stupid she was. Tristan would have seen that it was a trap. Where was he? Did he hear her scream? The barrel moved ever so slightly. She was being transported somewhere. She felt petrified. If she didn't escape then the witch would get her. Since the witch had cursed her, it was very likely that the witch could somehow undo the curse. But she knew she had no way of escaping once in the witch's grasps.

She shook her head. This was not the time to pity herself. She had to figure out how to get herself out of the situation. She leaned against the barrel and it moved. They hadn't secured it properly. She would have to wait for the perfect opportunity. She worked on the netting, doing her best to free at least her wings. Whatever was transporting her stopped and she heard more voices. She strained her ears, but couldn't make out the words. A voice drew closer. She let out a loud shriek and threw herself at the barrel. It was Lancelot. She recognized his flirtations.

The woman let out a scream and Myrina, in the barrel, fell to the ground. The lid popped open and she immediately hopped out. She spotted Lancelot and Galahad, but the other knights were nowhere in sight.

"Save me!" A woman cried out as she ran behind the knights.

"You little bitch!" one of the men shouted as he rushed at the knights. He fell to the ground dead before getting too close to them. Tristan's arrow stuck out of his neck.

Galahad screamed as he dropped from his horse with an arrow to his chest. Lancelot rushed to the younger knight's side while Tristan charged at the remaining seven bandits. Tristan easily dispatched the archer before even reaching them. The men withdrew their swords and rushed at them. One way or another they were going to die that day. Lancelot immediately attacked three while Tristan dismounted and attacked the others.

Myrina stood on the ground, frozen in place. All three of Lancelot's opponents attacked him at once. While only two of the three other men attacked Tristan. The last man studied Tristan's attack. His movements were fluid and controlled. There was no hope for the men. He easily killed them then faced his last opponent. The man looked at his opponents then turned and ran.

He let out a scream as a knife hit him in the back, causing him to fall to the ground on his stomach. Tristan casually walked toward the man and pulled out the knife, before kicking him so that he was on his back.

"Tristan?!" Lancelot demanded.

The scout ignored him. "Why did you steal my hawk?" he asked icily.

"Nice stew," the man spat. He screamed as Tristan dug the knife into his shoulder.

"Tristan!" Lancelot said. "We do not have time for this. There could be others."

"There aren't," the woman quickly said. "At least, I didn't see others. These men. They kidnaped me."

"Go," Tristan hissed in a deadly voice. "I will be behind you."

Lancelot frowned. He clearly didn't want to leave Tristan alone. "Woman. Can you ride?" he said, focusing his attention on the woman. She nodded her head.

"Take Galahad's horse," he said. "Follow me. Tristan. Come now!"

Tristan slammed his knife into the man's chest, killing him. He rushed over to Galahad and helped him up onto Lancelot's horse. Lancelot didn't say a word as he mounted his horse. Grabbing onto Galahad, he kicked his horse into a gallop. The woman quickly followed behind him.

Tristan hesitated for a second and looked over at Myrina. There seemed to be relief in his eyes. He started to walk toward her, but then he stopped. An arrow stuck out of his leg, causing him to fall to his knees.

"Don't wanna kill ya," a man said. "It would be a shame to kill a man with your skills."

She turned and struggled against the netting. Why hadn't she tried to free herself while she had time?

The man held his bow, pointing it directly at Tristan. "But I want your hawk. So you're going to give it to me. You don't wanna die over a bird?" he added.

Tristan's eyes hardened.

The man sighed. "And you were supposed to be the more pensive one," he commented.

Fear, rage, and alarm filled Myrina as the man drew the bow back. She wanted to rip the man apart. He had hurt Tristan and now he was going to kill him. Her vision filled with red as she let out what she thought was a shriek, but it sounded almost like a roar.

The man's eyes widened in surprise and he yelled as he aimed the bow at her. She didn't feel the arrow as it grazed her side. All she felt was rage. She slapped the man with her giant paw, sending him flying into a tree. Her body felt big and bulky. She let out a deep growl and took one heavy step toward the bloody man. It was then that she realized that she wasn't a hawk.

She rose up on her feet and looked at her paws. She let out a growl of concern and looked over to Tristan. He looked at her with just as much surprise as she was sure she was looking at him. It wasn't that she had never turned into a bear. She just hadn't expected to be able to during the day.

She let out a cry in pain as the witch's magic wrapped tightly around her, forcing her back into her hawk form. It was far more painful than she had anticipated. It seemed to take forever for her body to return to its hawk form.

Gently, he picked her up and held her close. Every move he made seemed to hurt her. She tried not to make a sound so as not to worry him. But she wasn't fully aware of what she was and wasn't doing. Her body and mind cried out for sleep. She had no way of telling him that she knew she would be alright. She could only hope he wouldn't worry too much.

* * *

They reached the wall with little time to spare for Myrina. As soon as the fort was within view Tristan had expected her to fly toward it. But she didn't move from his arms. He had to keep his nerves under control as they slowly made their way to the fort. The others would have found it strange if he had tried to make them move faster.

When he had finally caught up with the knights they had questioned what had happened to him. He told them about the bandit, leaving out the part of his hawk turning into a bear, and added that the bandit had hit her, stunning her.

Tristan dismounted, handing his reigns to the stable hands before rushing to his room. He ignored his leg's protest. Myrina still didn't give any indication that she knew what was happening. She was still alive. He could feel her breathing. But her lack of movement worried him.

It didn't miss his attention that when she became a bear she had a vivid green glow to her. But when she was forced into her hawk form it was a red glow the wrapped around her. There was something very wrong with the way she went into her hawk form. Tristan still wasn't sure if he believed in curses. But a lot of what he had witness now pointed to the fact that she was somehow cursed.

He pushed his door open and placed her on the bed. "Rina," he whispered as he gently touched her head. She looked at him sleepily and slowly moved her wings before falling back. "Rina?" he asked. He looked up. The sun was completely gone, and she was still a hawk. Maybe she had spent too much of her power and couldn't shift back.

Pain shot up his leg as he knelt. He winced, but ignored the pain. "Rina," he said softly. "Please. Be well."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. Then she let out a tiny shriek and flapped her wings. Tristan took off his coat as she easily shifted into her human form. He wrapped it around her and caught her as she fell slightly forward.

"Tristan," she said softly.

"What the hell are you?" Dagonet hissed in surprise, making both jump.

"Dagonet?!" she said in fear. Tristan struggled to get to his feet, but the wound on his leg made it difficult for him.

Dagonet pulled Tristan back, pointing his dagger at her. "A druid! She's a druid, Tristan," he said. "You will release your hold on my friend!"

Tristan pushed and collapsed onto one leg. Dagonet ignored his injured friend, keeping his attention on Myrina.

"I had known you were something. And I fear not your spells. They only work on the weak minded," he said.

Tristan lunged forward, placing his body between his friend and Myrina.

"Tristan," she said softly.

"She is no enemy!" Tristan said in a strong voice than he had anticipated. "You think me weak minded?"

Dagonet took a step back in surprise. Then his eyes narrowed. "You're under her spell, Tristan."

"Druids don't work that way," Myrina said. "We're not witches. We don't force people to do what they don't want to do. That goes against nature."

"Dagonet," Tristan said hoarsely. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "She is no enemy."

Dagonet looked from Tristan to Myrina then back to Tristan. "You realize what you are doing?" he asked.

Tristan nodded his head.

Slowly, Dagonet put his knife away and held up a cup with salve in it. "Arthur commanded me to take care of your wound or send you to the infirmary if it is bad."

Myrina got to her feet and gasped in pain, clutching her side. Tristan rushed over to her. She pulled out her hand and frowned at the sight of blood.

"The arrow grazed you," Tristan said. She nodded absent-mindedly, and continued to stare at her hand. "I'll…"

"I only have enough for one," Dagonet interrupted. "I will help her. Go to the infirmary."

Tristan frowned with distrust at his old friend, making Dagonet sigh. "I trust you, Tristan. I swear. I will not harm her. But bringing her with you will cause questions about where she got her injury. Unless you plan on telling everyone."

Myrina touched Tristan's arm and smiled up at him. "I trust him," she said. "Go."

He hesitated before making his way out of his room. Dagonet closed the door behind the scout then looked at Myrina.

"I'm not here to harm Tristan or any of you," she said, even though there was no point. He either believed she was an enemy or didn't.

Dagonet didn't respond as he rummaged through one of Tristan's drawers, finally pulling out some bandages. She reached her hands out for the bandages, but he shook his head. "I need to make sure the wound is cleaned and dressed properly."

She hesitated then wrapped Tristan's cloak around her, making it into a temporary skirt and crossed her arms over her chest. He put some water in a bowl and dipped a towel in it before kneeling down next to her. His eyes focused on her surface wound. He gently cleaned it before applying the salve.

"Thank you, Dagonet," she said softly.

He grounded his teeth before wrapping the bandage around her. "You're welcome, Myrina," he finally said. "This," he said, waving his hands in the air. "Is dangerous. For you and for Tristan. If you are found."

"I'm cursed," she gasped then quickly closed her mouth so to stop from saying another word.

"What?" he asked.

It was too late. She quickly racked her brain for something else to say. "I'm a hawk by day and human by night."

Dagonet frowned. "Does Tristan know this?" he asked.

She started to nod her head then shook it. "I don't know," she replied. "I didn't tell him."

"Why come here?" he asked.

"Because he knew what I was," she replied.

"Why not return home?"

She gulped. "Because it was someone from my home who did this to me." The half-lie easily slipped from her lips.

Dagonet looked surprised.

"I just… it felt safer to come with Tristan than go home." Her voice was steady and firm.

He searched her face, looking for a hint of a lie. "The story of your family," he said.

"It happened then. The curse."

He stood up and turned around. "I will say nothing, Myrina," he said, not looking at her. "But if you lie and try to harm Tristan or any of my comrades then I will have no problem killing you." He didn't give her time to response, immediately walking out of the room, leaving her there to think on his words.

Myrina bit her lip as she put on her dress. She hadn't expected mercy from Dagonet. In fact, she had expected him to try and kill her. She had prepared herself for an attack. Only, none came. She had grown up with the thought that the Romans and knights would kill her if they knew she was a druid. But now two knights were guarding her secret.

Two knights keeping her secret and a group of bandits after her. She frowned. Yes, those men had been after her. Why else would they have stuffed her in a barrel? Why else would the man have said that he wanted her? The little bat creature had led her into a trap. The witch!

Myrina's heart pounded in her chest. They had brought back a woman with them. She had been too preoccupied to get a good view of the woman. Myrina rushed toward the door but then stopped in her tracks, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. It was silly and stupid, she had a deeper concern, but her rat's nest of a hair bothered her. She quickly picked up a brush and untangled most of the mess so that it was somewhat descent before making her way out.

Her pace quickened as she made her way toward the tavern. Vanora would know what was going on, and the location of the woman. She wasn't exactly sure what she would do with that knowledge. Part of her wanted to fight the witch. But that was a bad idea due to their location. The other part of her wanted to tell Tristan and Dagonet. But what then? The witch was strong and would most likely reveal Myrina just to spite her.

"My sweet goddess," Lancelot shouted, grabbing Myrina's hand and forcing her to sit on his lap.

She let out a little shriek in surprise. She had been so deep in thought, and the tavern was so quiet, she hadn't realized she was starting to pass it.

Lancelot held her even closer. "It has been a terrible day," he said. "Galahad was injured."

Myrina gasped in surprise. "And Tristan?" she asked, making him roll his eyes.

"Little flesh wound," he said as he leaned back. "Myrina. I plead with you. I could have died today. And I would have died an unhappy man, having never been with you."

Myrina pushed away from him, getting onto her feet. She bit her cheek to keep from wincing as he grabbed her injured side. "Lancelot, I…" she stopped and let out a sigh of relief. "Tristan," she whispered as she rushed over to him and hugged him. She knew that his injury hadn't been bad, but the image of him kneeling in front of his enemy came to her mind. She never wanted to see him in so much danger again. The man could have killed him.

"Rina?" he whispered in surprise.

She pulled away and rubbed her eyes. "He said you were injured." Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. She had to pretend not to know. But her emotions were real.

He looked over to Lancelot, who shrugged his shoulders. "I'll live," he muttered. Putting his hand on her back, he ushered her to their usual table where their meal was waiting.

She grounded her teeth as she tried to keep her emotions from spilling out. She just wanted to go back to his room and cuddle with him. The thought barely entered her mind before she started to chastise herself. There was a witch on the loose and possibly in the fort. That needed to be her number one objective.

"Tristan," she started, but was interrupted as a woman with long brown hair stood in front of them.

"I wish to thank you and the other knights for rescuing me," the woman said.

Myrina quickly scanned the woman's face and body. She wasn't the witch. The hair, eyes, skin, and very presence were completely different and wrong. The witch had an air of authority and power to her. Even with the brief contact that Myrina had, she could tell that the witch knew how to command people. This woman was weak compared to the witch. She shifted her weight, causing her dress to press a little tighter around her. Pressing her hand on the table, she gave Tristan a very beautiful smile.

Tristan shrugged.

"Oh, my lady," Lancelot cut in. "We are but humble knights who enjoy rescuing damsels in distress."

"It's just Brianna. And I thank you all," she said, placing her hand on her chest. "But I must admit. That it is the bird that I must thank in person. Had it not been for the beautiful creature, you would not have known I had been in distress."

Myrina blushed at her own stupidness and picked at her food.

"I…" the woman let in a shaky breath. "Forgive me," she whispered. "I do not wish to think of what they would have done to me had none of you come to rescue me."

Tristan stood up and nodded his head, before leaving. Myrina watched him go but didn't follow.

"Did I anger your brother?" Brianna asked.

Lancelot howled with laughter at her question, shaking his head. "They are not related, nor married, nor together. We have yet to figure out what they are."

Brianna looked quizzically at Myrina who blushed and focused on finishing her meal.

"What 'ave we here?" Bors shouted rather loudly the instant he spotted Brianna.

"Be gone you ruffin'," Lancelot shouted, motioning for Bors to stay away. "Do not fear, my… ladies. I shall protect you from such brutes."

"What the hell are ya doin'?" Gawain snapped, causing everyone to turn and look at the person he was shouting at.

Galahad limped toward them, holding onto his shoulder. Gawain rushed over to his brother and wrapped his arm around him, helping him to the first table. Myrina quickly went over to him. He smiled up at her. "Ya should have seen us," he said.

"Already starting your story?" she teased.

He nodded. "Had to get here before the story became ridiculously big."

"Ha!" Bors snorted. "The only one of ye's who speaks was too busy flirtin' wit' those two ta say anything."

Galahad let out a laugh then winced in pain.

"Get some rest, brother," Gawain said in concern.

"We'll listen to your version when you are healed," Myrina urged. "You don't want to fall asleep while telling us the story."

"You should have seen us, Myrina," the young man said, ignoring their words. Gawain rolled his eyes, but sat closer to his brother. "We were surrounded by hundreds of bandits."

"Eight at the most," Tristan interjected as he moved away and leaned against a pole.

"Tristan! This is my story," Galahad snapped, making them chuckle.

Myrina grabbed an apple and tossed it to Tristan. He easily caught it and let a small smile cross his face. "It's rude to interrupt a storyteller," she teased before turning her attention back to Galahad who nodded his head.

"But first, the beginning. I had this strange feeling that something was wrong when we spotted you, my lady," he said, nodding to Brianna. "You appeared to be in distress, but had no way of telling us. If it had not been for Tristan's hawk we would have passed you by. We killed the five, but then suddenly hundreds came out of nowhere. I was unfortunate when one shot me in the shoulder."

"You all fought so bravely and selflessly to save my life," Brianna said in an airy tone. She batted her eyes and flashed a smile in Tristan's direction. "My father will present all of you with a grand reward."

"But what is money to a man who yearns for female companionship," Lancelot said longingly.

Galahad let out a cough and winced, shaking his head.

"To bed with you, little brother," Gawain commanded as he forced Galahad up. The youngest knight looked reluctant, but didn't fight, allowing Gawain to escort him back home. That seemed to be the silent signal as everyone slowly dispersed.

"I fear you have competition for Tristan," Lancelot lamented, sliding close to her. "Of course, my heart still yearns for you."

Myrina looked over in the direction of Tristan and Brianna. The woman was clearly flirting with him, but he kept his attention on the game that a few Romans were playing. Myrina couldn't help but admit that the woman was pretty. What surprised her was the fact that Brianna was interested in Tristan. And so quickly.

Lancelot sighed. "I shall never understand," he said, shaking his head. Hands ran down his chest and both looked up at the woman who smiled seductively at him.

"Hello, Sarai," Myrina said casually.

Sarai nodded before focusing her attention on Lancelot. He smiled and kissed her quickly then looked at Myrina.

"Think not ill of me, my sweet," he said as he stood. "But I am only a man. And I have needs. You are still in my heart."

She rolled her eyes and waved at them. "Good night," she called out. She looked around, trying to focus on something other than Tristan. She didn't want to watch or "spy" on him. They weren't together. If he wished to leave with Brianna then he had every right too. But the thought of him going with that woman upset her.

Without warning, Brianna leaned up and kissed Tristan in the mouth.

Myrina shot up and quickly walked away, refusing to see anymore. She had no right to get jealous or angry. Lancelot's words, only a few minutes ago, came to her mind. She didn't want to compare Tristan with Lancelot, but she couldn't help it. He was a man, and he had needs. And their relationship was nothing more than friends.

It wasn't long before she found herself in Tristan's room. Suddenly, a horrible thought entered her mind. Would he return with Brianna? Would he want to use his room? That thought made her extremely uncomfortable. She didn't want to face that type of situation. She looked around the room and frowned. She had nowhere to go. She could always sleep on the streets or maybe the stable. Or what if she left the wall and slept in the woods.

"Rina." Tristan's deep voice made her jump.

"I'm sorry," she said as she turned, expecting to see Brianna leering at her.

Tristan closed the door behind him and looked at her quizzically. "We are-"

"If you wish the room, I will find somewhere else to stay," she quickly cut in.

He let out a sigh, shaking his head. Then with one long step, he placed himself right in front of her and pulled her into a tight hug. She stiffened for a moment before returning it. "I almost lost you today," he whispered into her ear.

She squeezed her arms tighter around him, shaking her head. "What are you talking about?" she sobbed. "He would have killed you." She let the tears run down her face no longer caring how she looked. She buried her face into his shirt. He held her and waited till she pulled away. She rubbed her face with her sleeve then gasped in horror. "I'm sorry. I-"

He kissed her, silencing her thoughts for a moment. She hadn't expected him to make the first move. He seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly pulled away, searching her eyes for permission. She let out a breath before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again. She felt his hands on her back, pulling her closer to his body as he returned their second kiss. Her hand found its way under his shirt and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

His hands rubbed her bad side, causing her to cry out in pain as she pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he quickly said.

She smiled as she sat down on the bed. "It's alright." She couldn't say much else as she tried to catch her breath.

The bed creaked as he sat down next to her bad side. She moved closer to him and leaned on him. He embraced her.

"They were after me," she whispered.

"I know," he said.

"It was a trap. I was so stupid."

He sighed and pulled away, shaking his head.

"I… I just flew right into that net," she continued. "Chasing after that stupid creature. It attacked me last night. I wanted to get a closer look at it. She almost had me."

"Brianna?" he asked.

She frowned. "No," she said, shaking her head. "She's not the witch."

"Rina," he said very softly. "What witch?"

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "She cursed me, when I ran away," she said slowly. "Whatever form I chose would be the form I stayed in. Only, I'm stronger than she realized. Which is why I'm human at night, but a hawk by day. She must have used that creature to find me. And hired those people to capture me."

Tristan frowned as he thought. "They were after your hawk form," he stated. "They don't know you turn human."

She hadn't thought of that. Yes, they had known that she was smarter than usual. But the last bandit who came after her had told Tristan that he was only after the hawk. The witch didn't know she was human by night. Suddenly, the events of the day caught up with her body and she let out a yawn.

He started to get up, but she grabbed his arm. She knew he wasn't going to go far, but she didn't want him to leave.

"This… is a little childish," she said as she began to blush. "But could you stay here till I sleep?"

He hesitated for a moment before nodding. She moved to the corner of the bed, giving him enough room so he could lay down as well.

"Good night, Tristan," she whispered, turning her back to him so she could face the single window.

"Good night," he replied, staring at her back. It wasn't how he expected to end his night. But then again, he had expected to be sleeping on the floor again.


	9. Giving In

Tristan paced back and forth deep in thought. He had slept very little the night before. Myrina's revelation that a witch had cursed her stuck in his mind. And now that witch was after her; probably had been for a long time. Despite the fact that he understood why she had been keeping secrets from him, it still hurt him that she didn't trust him. He had done everything that he could to make her realize he was going to protect her.

Tristan paused and looked down at her sleeping body. The bed was small, barely large enough to hold the both of them. Yet somehow he had been able to lay comfortably with her on it. Looking at her now, she took up the entire bed. He let out a small smile. If things continued to progress with the two of them, he would have to invest in a larger bed.

"Focus," he muttered to himself. This was no time to think about bedding her. He had to come up with a way to keep her safe while in her hawk form. For the most part, she was around him in her hawk form. And they were lucky that no one had noticed that while his hawk was around she wasn't and vice versa. Although, it being night did explain why his hawk wasn't around. But that didn't mean that Brianna wouldn't notice. Yes, he was quite positive that the young woman that they had rescued was in league with this witch. He had no proof just a gut feeling and he always trusted his feelings.

There were too many things with her that didn't seem right. There were women who would have interest in him for a short while. But they would quickly give up once he ignored them. But she had done her best to get his attention. He had also noticed that she didn't seem worried about the bandits. Yes, she talked about a reward that her father would give them, but she seemed so false about her fear. It didn't help that she had more than once expressed interest in thanking his hawk. And it hadn't escaped his attention that when she ran toward the knights, one of the bandits had the look of a man being betrayed.

Myrina stirred and mumbled something. Tristan looked down at her then up at the window. The sun would be rising soon. He didn't know what to do. Brianna would undoubtedly find herself around them. What if the witch didn't need Myrina alive? He wouldn't be able to be around her hawk self all day. Brianna could catch her off guard, stab her and…

"I command you to stay human," he said, the words slipping off his tongue before he could stop them. He let out a sigh. If only things were that simple. She would be safe as her human self. Brianna didn't know and he could always say the hawk was resting in his room from its injure. Plus, it would be nice to spend a day with her and to talk to her. Their nights were so short.

Tristan gave her one last look before he stepped out of his room and closed the door. He wanted to give her privacy to change. Each time he saw her change it looked painful. He hated the thought of her being in pain and being unable to do anything about it.

It didn't take long for Tristan to reach the stables. He still wasn't sure what he was going to do. At least now he had two plans to deal with and both started out the same. He was either going to go on a long scouting trip in the opposite direction of the bandits. Or take Myrina up north, past the wall and to her people. Maybe they would know what to do. It would be dangerous though for both of them. But that was probably the best option.

He frowned as his breathing deepened. He was afraid. He wasn't even sure if anyone would be able to help her, but already he was afraid of losing her. He rubbed his face and shook his head. He would be free in a few months. Then he could join her and…

"Good morning, Tristan," Jols said a little sleepily as he made his way through the stable.

Tristan nodded his head then looked around. The sun was up, but Myrina was nowhere in sight. "Myrina!" he said to himself in alarm as he rushed out of the stables. Why did he leave her alone? Could Brianna have been waiting for him to leave his room to go inside? Or did she happen to see Myrina fly out and capture her somehow?

Tristan threw the door to his room open, expecting to see it a mess from a struggle or her dead hawk body. Myrina let out a shriek in surprise as she slid back, hitting the wall with her back. She pulled his blankets closer around her and gaped at him. Her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to figure out what was going on. All he could do was stare at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she looked behind him then back at him. "Tristan?"

"You're human," he said.

Her frown deepened. "Yes?"

"It's morning."

She turned and looked out his window. The sun was slowly rising, but it was high enough. "I'm free," she whispered in complete surprise then she looked at him. "How?"

* * *

Cailyn screamed in rage as she pushed the table, knocking all the contents onto the floor. The single surviving bandit winced in fear.

"We don't need to worry. Bri will come back with the hawk," the bandit said, shaking his head.

Brandon shook his head. "She won't be alone."

The bandit shrugged. "She'll have a few guards, maybe a knight or two. Nothing we can't handle. I'll get the rest of my men-"

"Arthur won't let her return with only a handful of guards. Undoubtedly, she'll say she was kidnapped and he'll come here with his knights as well as Roman guards," Brandon said.

"You idiot!" Cailyn snarled at the bandit.

The man's eyes narrowed. He wasn't used to having a woman talk down to him. "My _lady_ ," he hissed. Brandon tensed, but the bandit ignored the man. He had realized rather quickly that Brandon was Cailyn's human dog. He obeyed the witch's orders without hesitation or conscious. And he wouldn't move unless she told him to. "You asked us for this hawk that the knight has. We had captured it and were bringing it back to you. If you don't wish for our help," he stopped, not bothering to finish his sentence. She knew what he was going to say.

She looked over at him. Her eyes narrowed and filled with anger and hate. He couldn't back down now. He was a leader and she was only a woman.

"How many of your men were killed by only _three_ knights?" she taunted. "What makes you think you will fare better with more?" She didn't wait for him to say anything and turned her back to him, staring into the fire.

The man snarled at her while Brandon smirked. Sweat ran down his face and he wiped it away with his sleeve. The room was incredibly hot. The bandit wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword. He was not about to let this woman nor her male companion make fun of him. He was going to teach both of them a lesson. He took a step forward then stopped.

"Why, you shall be there, my _lady,_ " he said in a sickly sweet voice. She turned and looked at him. "You are a witch are you not? They have no one who has the powers that you do," he continued. "Unless, your claim of being a witch are false." His smile was innocent while inside he gloated. She had claimed to be a witch. Yet, so far, he had not once seen her do anything that would prove she had power.

The flames in the fire pit behind her exploded as if someone threw in some oil. She smiled rather menacingly at him. For once, her sharp features that enhanced her beauty made her frightful and ugly. The light that the flames cast didn't help either. "You doubt my power?" she asked, taking long quick strides toward him.

The man couldn't move. He wasn't exactly sure why. His mind screamed at him to run away. But he was transfixed by her. She had always had a commanding presence about her. One that he had ignored and scoffed at Brandon for never questioning her and openly obey her every command. He was no man in the bandit's opinion. Now, looking at her, he knew why Brandon followed her.

"I need not explain my reasons to you," she said icily, grabbing onto his shoulder.

His body slowly fell to the ground, surprising him. He was dying. The fire in the pit behind her seemed to leap out and settle on the wood and stone.

"At least you became useful in the end," she commented. She let him go, allowing his body to slam onto the ground with a loud _thud._ "We should leave," she said to Brandon, stepping over the dying bandit.

The bandit stared helplessly as the rest of the home caught on fire around him. He wasn't dead, but he couldn't move. It was as if she had sucked the energy out of him, leaving just enough for him to die a slow and painful death. He couldn't move, he couldn't scream. All he could do was watch, feel and think. In the end, his only regret was that he didn't kill her the minute his mind had told him to.

Outside, Brandon helped Cailyn onto a horse and mounted behind her. He slammed his heels into the horse's side forcing it into a gallop as they raced out of the little village. The flames from the home they were temporarily staying at jumped from building to building, rapidly catching the rest of the town on fire.

He waited till they were at the edge of the forest before turning to see the state of the village. People ran out of their homes, trying frantically to find a way to save their homes and the loved ones who were still trapped inside. A few of the remaining bandits who had taken over the town were quickly disappearing into the forest. It was chaos.

He smiled. He wanted them to suffer. He wanted everyone on the island to suffer. The Romans killed his family, his bloodline. And the people did nothing to help them. They all deserved to die and a new stronger people deserved to take their place. He looked down at Cailyn who swayed in the saddle. She had overdone herself again. But that was what he was there for.

"Where to?" he asked her, kicking the horse into a trot.

"Away from here," she muttered. "We must be well into the other side of the wall by nightfall. We're going to the coast. My father and his people are on their way here. We will meet them. And together, with his army, we will take over this land."

"And my sister?" For a brief moment he felt remorse. She was his sister after all. But she had been blessed. He was the eldest and it was his birthright. But because she had been at the right place and at the right time she had received his blessing. And she had wasted it. She played it safe, never testing her ability.

"She is a hawk," Cailyn muttered. "She can do nothing. If that knight truly has her then you are no match for the man. And I will not risk death when the soldiers of my father can do that for me. Also, if your other sister finds out we're over the wall she may come looking for us."

"You fear the Sarmatian knights over Woads?" Brandon asked, clearly surprised.

Cailyn shook her head. "Merlin will not let send his warriors after us. That will force Nola to come to us alone, leaving only Myrina to deal with." She awkwardly turned back and looked at him, searching his face for something.

He shrugged. His siblings would never understand the path he was on. It was better to pretend that they had died with his parents. It made his life easier. "To the coast," he replied.

* * *

Myrina tapped the table with her spoon as she waited for Vanora to bring her some food. She still couldn't believe that it was daylight and she was human. Shortly after discovering that she was still human she had searched for her hawk or bear form within herself. But both were locked firmly away from her. She was still trapped, she was still cursed. She hadn't told Tristan yet. She wasn't exactly sure what to say to him.

At first, he had seemed just as surprised as she was. Although, she couldn't tell if he was happy or sad. But then his face had changed. It seemed as if he had come to some sort of conclusion. He had left her just before she could ask him what he was thinking, allowing her to change and get ready for the day alone. She had immediately tried to use her powers then. He was nowhere to be found when she left his room. That surprised her a little bit. She had figured that he would be waiting for her and bombard her with questions.

She let out a snicker at that thought. Bombard her? Out of all the knights, Tristan was the least likely to bombard her with questions. He would come up to his own conclusions and test them out.

A hand touched her shoulder, jolting her out of her thoughts. Myrina looked up at the beautiful Brianna and blinked a few times

"I'm sorry if I startled you," the woman said with a fake smile on her face. "I was wondering if you've seen that scout, Tristan I think his name is?"

"Not recently," Myrina truthfully replied.

Brianna looked around then sat down. "Forgive me for prying," she said, lowering her voice. "But the two of you? No," she quickly shook her head. "I mean, do you know the story about his hawk? It's so beautiful. How did he get such a magnificent creature?"

"It's been with him for as long as I've known him," Myrina said with a shrug.

Brianna looked thoughtfully at her then laughed, shaking her head. "Of course you know nothing," she said.

Myrina refrained from saying another word and just smiled. She shifted her weight and looked around for a familiar face. Vanora should have come long ago to give her something to eat. She frowned as Vanora rushed over to her with no food in her hands.

"Myrina!" she said, grabbing onto the young woman and pulling her up. "Come now."

"Vanora?"

Vanora didn't answer half pulling Myrina behind her. Myrina followed unsure of what else she could do. Vanora seemed insistent on taking her upstairs. Once upstairs Vanora sat her down on a chair and began rummaging through a chest. She pulled out several items, causing more confusion for Myrina.

"Vanora, can you please-"

"You have to look lovely today," Vanora stated, not looking at her. Instead, she laid certain items out on her bed. She grabbed a comb and started to gently, but firmly, comb Myrina's hair.

"Why?"

Vanora let out a chuckle. "My dear. You are here and this is the first day that Tristan has had free in a long time. You are going to look lovely for him."

"Vanora!" Myrina said trying to sound as exasperated as possible. "I don't need to look lovely for him." Despite that she didn't move, allowing Vanora to braid her hair.

Vanora let out a chuckle. "I don't know this game that you and Tristan have been playing. But I've had enough of the two of you ignoring your feelings toward one another. That man's not going to make the first move. So it's up to you, my dear. Unless you want this Brianna to become his lover?"

Myrina didn't hear Vanora's last question as her cheeks blushed. He had made the first move. Last night he had kissed her. She placed her hand on her mouth, recalling the feeling. "He's injured and..."

Vanora's hearty laugh interrupted her. "I saw his injury and it will not prevent him from preforming."

Myrina's blush deepened at the thought. Yes, he probably would have gone farther if her side didn't hurt her. She moved slightly, testing for pain. Her side felt sore, but nothing she couldn't handle.

"Are you a virgin?" Vanora asked in surprise.

Myrina looked at her in surprise before looking away. "I haven't had the time much less the need to be with someone and I can't have children yet."

"But surely your monthlies-"

"It's not that," Myrina quickly stated. "I'm," she paused trying to look for the right words to say. She couldn't tell this woman that her main priority had been to spy on the knights. Or that she had never felt that special connection with anyone. Most women her age were already married with several children already, special connection or not. That had just never been a focus or a priority in her life. Truth be told, she wasn't ready for children. There was still so much for her to do. "My focus had been on surviving until recently." She found herself saying. "And now, I don't know." She looked away.

"Tristan is an honorable man," Vanora said softly. "If you become with child I'm sure he will stay behind with you."

Startled, Myrina looked up at her.

"Their time is almost up," Vanora said with a soft smile. "Less than a month, and they will have their papers and will be free to go wherever they wish. There, you're done."

Myrina stood up and walked to the door with Vanora. The woman had given Myrina more problems to think about. What if she wasn't free by the time Tristan was freed? Would he force her to leave her home? She would have to tell him them that she had to be near him. What if she became pregnant? Would the child survive? Her constant shifting between forms couldn't be good for the baby. She stopped and blinked a few times before letting out a short laugh. Children? They were supposed to be enemies and yet here she was thinking about having children with him. Barely a few months earlier she would have been ready to let them all die. And now, the thought of losing any of the knights to her people made her shift uneasily. Was there any way to save them from her people? And her people from them?

"Done," Vanora said softly.

Myrina smiled, forcing herself back to the present. It was no use riddling herself with questions that had no answers until something happened. She would just have to continue moving forward. Whatever happened, she knew she would be able to handle it.

"Tristan will be in the stable," Vanora said as the two walked down and out of the tavern.

"Thanks, Vanora," Myrina said.

Vanora winked and gave her a light shove in the direction of the stable. "Enjoy your time with him, dear."

Myrina felt light as she made her way to the stable. If he was free soon then that meant that he could freely travel up north to her people. He wouldn't get in trouble and Merlin would be able to help them.

She stepped into the stable and stopped, spotting Tristan. He turned and looked at her, his hair slightly falling across his face. A small smile crept across his face for a brief moment before it disappeared. Tugging on two horse reins, he walked over to her.

"Let's go for a ride," he said.

She didn't question him, easily mounting the horse he held out toward her. He mounted his horse and motioned for her to follow him.

She was a little surprise by the ease that the two were able to take, riding out of the town and away from the wall. She had figured after what had happened the day before Tristan wouldn't want to leave the safety of the town. But she wasn't afraid. He would protect her. And she knew that deep down, if she needed, she would be able to summon her strength and protect him to.

They were quiet as they road. Only the sounds of the forest filled the air. Myrina smiled. It was a lovely day for a ride and she was in perfect company. She nudged her horse into a faster pace to catch up to Tristan who rode a little ahead of her.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He gave her a slight glance back before looking ahead. "To your home." She heard him say softly.

Her horse protested when she pulled suddenly on the reins. "No!" she said firmly.

He turned and looked at her in surprise. Clearly he had expected her to react differently.

"Tristan! You can't. Arthur..."

"He will understand when I explain-"

"Explain what? That I'm a Woad? Or a druid? How will he understand that you knew I was an enemy and kept that information from him?" She knew that her voice was pitched higher than usual but she was suddenly afraid. She knew Arthur was a kind and just man, but he would have to punish Tristan in some way. And what of Dagonet? The other knight wouldn't stay silent in the matter and also get punished.

He shrugged.

"No!" she said firmly, shaking her head.

Tristan road up to her and looked into her eyes. "Is this not what you want? You are free now."

"It's not what I want. I'm not free yet." The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.

He didn't immediately react. "What do you mean?" he asked, keeping his face annoyingly neutral.

She looked around as if to see if anyone was watching them before looking back at him. "I'm human right now and I don't know why or how, but I'm not free. If I were then I would be able to use any of my forms. I cannot."

Tristan's face clouded slightly as he frowned. "All the more reason to take you back to your people then. They should have-"

"No!" she interrupted. Butterflies filled her stomach and she wasn't entirely sure why. Yes, he was probably right that someone would be able to help her. Her people believed in magic to an extent. But the thought of being away from him now scared her.

"I cannot protect you. Not from whatever powers this witch has. What can mere men do against powers that she clearly has? If she can curse you, a druid, then what can't she do to me?"

She frowned as her breathing deepened. He was right. Of course he was right. If they ever came across the witch then he would end up like Evan, her sister's friend. His eyes searched hers for some sort of answer. Her hands tightened around the reins at the thought. He was right. Better to get him out of the danger than leave him in it.

Her mouth felt dry as she tried to swallow. She felt like crying. Just as they were getting closer they were going to be broken apart. Why hadn't she tried to get closer to him sooner?

The sky rumbled, distracting Tristan. She took that moment to let a few tears drop and quickly wiped them away.

He sighed. "Come. There's an inn not far from here."

She nodded not trusting her voice to stay steady. They had to backtrack a little to reach the main road. Luckily, they only had to follow the road for a short time before the tavern was in their sights. As if the storm was waiting for them to get near the inn, the rain started to fall. They kicked their horses into a gallop, reaching the inn just as the rain began pouring down heavily.

Myrina entered the inn and shifted uneasily at the entrance as she waited for Tristan. The patrons paid little attention to her, instead focusing on their beverages. She couldn't help but wonder what the other knights were doing. Were they all at Vanora's tavern, having a pint and laughing? The thought made her smile a little.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders and she jumped in surprise. Tristan didn't acknowledge that he had frightened her, using his strength to guide her forward. "A room," he said to the man behind the bar. The man smiled a half-toothless smile and nodded his head. "Gal! Show 'em to a room."

The man's eyebrows raised as Tristan handed him more coins than he had expected.

"We would like a meal as well," he said, before turning toward the girl.

The man grunted in acknowledgement and nodded to the girl before returning his attention to his regular patrons. Only the sound of the rain hitting the roof followed the three as the girl showed Tristan and Myrina to the single room. Myrina stepped in while Tristan tipped the girl. She looked out the window and wrapped her arms around her. She felt Tristan's cloak on her shoulders and looked at him gratefully.

"I'm not cold," she said.

He shrugged his shoulders, focusing his attention on the hearth. It didn't take him long to get a little fire going. She sat down next to him and leaned her body against his.

"If only I could turn into my bear form," she lamented.

He laughed at that, shaking his head. "And what if someone were to accidently come in?" he teased.

"Either they'd be too drunk for anyone to believe them, or dead. I doubt you'd take kindly to someone entering this room without permission."

He chuckled, nodding his head. "I will have to agree with that." He didn't move as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"Can we wait?" she asked, slowly pulling away so they could look into each other's eyes.

"For what?" he asked.

"To take me back. You'll be free soon, won't you? We can wait till you get your papers. Then no one can punish you or Dagonet," she paused and took in a deep breath before looking into his eyes. "We'll just be extra careful. I've been thinking. If our assumptions are correct, then they knew I was with you. If the witch knew I was with you then what's stopping her from coming into town and taking me? Why not come into town and kill everyone? I don't think she's as strong as she says she is. She's arrogant and proud and lets that get in her way." She paused and closed her eyes briefly, recalling the short, but deadly attack.

Tristan shifted beside her.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "She knows that she'll die if she comes to town. To get me she'll have to use her powers and they come from life."

"Yours don't?" He interrupted her.

Myrina gulped and nodded her head before shaking it. "It's different for me. All magic is tied to life. My father gave up his life so that we could have magic to fight the Romans. But, we didn't get to choose our gifts. The spirits did that for us. But she has chosen hers. In order for her to use her magic she has to tap into her own life or that of others. There has to be a balance. She'd have to be touching or connected to the person in some way. My brother is connected to her, but whatever gift he received from our father's sacrifice is no longer with him. If she uses too much magic she'll die."

"Which is why she sends others to do what she wants instead of coming herself," Tristan stated.

She nodded.

A knock at their door interrupted them. She didn't move as Tristan got the food and then sat back down next to her.

"Are these facts you are telling me or something you want me to believe so we don't go back to your people yet?" he asked just as she took a bite from the bread.

She chewed and he let out a smile as her cheeks grew redder by his attention. Finally she swallowed and gave him a light shove. "That wasn't nice," she said. "It's what makes sense. Magic has always come at a price, especially the strong kind. Because there were so few druids my father offered himself up for this ritual. With the success of the ritual then all druids would be able to wield magic at no cost to their life or those they loved, because of his sacrifice. We would have been able to take back our home."

"But the druids were destroyed that night," Tristan stated.

She nodded. "But as you can see, the ritual worked to an extent. My sister and I both had powers." She frowned. "I'm sure my brothers did as well, but," she let out a sigh. "Darren never liked the thought of having magic. And if Brandon had any he-" Her voice cracked at saying his name, "either didn't know, or it wasn't something he cared for."

"My parents believed in magic," Tristan said softly.

She looked at him in surprise.

He shrugged. "When I was younger, my mother made sure that I respected nature. Hunt only what I needed and use everything. Tread carefully and quietly. If I was patient, quiet and respectful then nature would reveal her secrets to me and help me if I need it. And never forget to help an animal that is in need."

"And you helped me," she said softly.

"And I helped you," he said back, his eyes meeting hers.

Her eyes widened slightly and she cleared her throat, looking back at the fire. Suddenly, she laughed and shook her head. "Had it not started raining then we would have been riding to my home still," she said. "What would we have eaten?"

"My lady," he said, trying to sound haughty. "I'm an excellent hunter. You will never starve while in my care."

She laughed. "Unfortunately, I'm not a very good cook. Nola said," she paused and then snorted. "She always lamented at my impatience. Said I didn't mind the rawness in my meat because of my forms." Her face turned red and she shrugged.

A small smile crossed Tristan's face before he grew serious and sat up straighter. He cocked his head to one side and looked at her. "I've had to learn how to cook for myself. You do have two predator forms, bear and hawk. You can hunt for us and I'll cook."

She let out a surprised laugh and her blush deepened. Mischief flashed across her eyes and she crawled closer to him. "Cook, clean, fight. What can't you do?"

"Turn into a hawk. Is there anything else you can turn into?" He hesitated for a brief moment, but then reached out and lightly ran his fingers against her arm.

"Thank you," she said, ignoring his question.

He raised his eyebrows and cocked his head slightly, pulling his hand away. "For what?"

"For everything you have done. I know it can't be easy for you. I'm very grateful."

He tensed a little and shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with the gratitude she was showing him. "It is nothing," he mumbled, meeting her eyes with his.

Her eyes widened slightly and she quickly turned her back to him and toward the window and bed.

He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

She scratched her neck, clearly nervous. He grounded his teeth and sat up completely. He didn't want there to be an awkward silence between them. Not now. He frantically searched his mind for a subject or topic for them to discuss. But he wasn't much for conversations.

She turned her entire body to him and scooted a little closer to him. Her expression confused him. She wasn't upset or angry. He wasn't exactly sure what her face was telling him. She licked her lips and hesitated for a brief moment before reaching her hand out and touching his face. He wanted to immediately grab her hand and kiss it, but forced his body to stay still.

Suddenly, she leaned in and kissed him. He was immediately glad that he hadn't grabbed her hand. He eagerly returned her kiss then shook his head and pulled away.

"What did I do?" she asked in fear. "I thought-"

"Is this what you want?" he interrupted.

"What?"

"I have wanted you for a long time, Rina," he said deeply. His chest heaved with heavy breathing. "If you want to stop I may not-"

She immediately kissed him again, stopping his sentence. "Does that answer your question?" she asked as soon as she pulled away.

His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her closer to him, kissing her again. His tunic was loose and made it easy for her to slip her hands under and touch his skin. One hand ran up her leg and under her dress while the other rubbed her back. Suddenly, she let out a surprised squeak and giggled. Shaking her head, she hugged him. "I'm not exactly experienced," she whispered in his ear.

He leaned back and smiled. "I know," he said. "I'll be gentle."

In a swift movement he picked her up, walking over to the bed. He set her down and pulled off his tunic then kissed her again.

"Wait," she whispered and pressed her hands against his bare chest.

He grabbed them and pulled them, kissing her fingers. "You won't feel pain," he stated.

She giggled and shook her head. "Not even you have the power to stop someone from feeling pain," she playfully replied. Her hand ran up his stomach, causing him to shudder slightly.

His eyes danced with mischief. "I may know a few tricks."

She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head. "Oh? What if I said I didn't believe you?"

"Now, my lady, you have challenged me. And I'm afraid I rather like challenges."


	10. Reluctant Ally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness. Has it really been that long? First thanks so much to MischievousAngel0923 at FFN. It’s been like a year since I messaged her. But her suggestions stuck with me. Finally, after so long I was able to sit down and write without it feeling forced. I’ve thought about this chapter constantly, trying to figure out how to best write it. There was barely anything to work with in my original draft (or the subsequent rewrites). I knew this chapter would focus on Dagonet meeting Nola and I wanted their meeting to be right and have that attraction. Couple more chapters till I hit the movie part, which means that updating should hopefully go faster at that point. Thanks for sticking with me despite my slowness. Hopefully it won’t be that long in between updating now. This chapter was that one big hurdle to pass. There seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel!

Dagonet looked around the half destroyed village, alert to anything that would be suspicious. Arthur talked to one of the village leaders with Lancelot close to his side. One man was bound and kneeling in front of them. Lancelot played with his sword, making sure to every once in a while look at the bandit. Gawain and six Roman soldiers, they had brought with them, were searching the area for the remaining members. Briana hugged her father. It appeared that the little town had been taken over by bandits for a brief time, and it was quite clear to them all that the young woman had known but hadn't said anything. Was her plan to lead them into a trap when they returned her to her village? Why?

Dagonet shook his head. Of all the luck for Tristan to leave on this day. They could use his skills and Rina's hawk form, not to mention the fact that she knew about magic. He winced slightly at the thought. Some of the villagers had insisted that the leader of the bandits was in fact a witch. They said she had used black magic to kill one of their own in front of them, aging him till he died. They had been too afraid to ask for help. What could people do against magic? Was it possible that this was the witch who cursed Myringa?

Arthur had tried to explain to them that there was no such thing, but it they still seemed skeptical. And Dagonet couldn't blame them. After all, he was a witness first hand. He had seen magic. And having someone who knew about it would have made him feel a little safer.

But the two were gone. Dagonet had a feeling he knew why Tristan and Myrina had left together. Tristan was taking her back home. A part of him was happy and relieved that she was finally gone. It wasn't that he didn't trust her. He was afraid for her safety now. Arthur was an honorable man, but one who followed Roman law. There was no telling what he or the other knights would do if they found out what Myrina was. Especially since they were all so close to being free. And, although he knew Tristan well, Dagonet was afraid of what his friend would do if she was ever in danger by any of the knights.

Despite that, Dagonet felt pain for his friend. Although Tristan was a master at hiding his emotions, Dagonet read him too easily. He was taking Myrina back for her safety, he wasn't happy about it. But what else could he do? She was human now, meaning she was in more danger. People would notice the distinct lack of a hawk. It only made sense that they figured out how to break her curse, if she was indeed cursed. She had told him that she was a hawk by day and woman by night. And it made sense. Now she was clearly a woman. So of course Tristan would return her to her people.

Dagonet thought on the young druidess. He couldn't help but wonder how she'd take the news. It was clear to him that she had no idea where Tristan was taking her. Dagonet picked up a burned piece of wood then shook his head. Poor Tristan. He hadn't seen the look in her eyes as the two rode out of the fort. She was looking at him longingly. Dagonet could only hope that Tristan would have the strength to let her go.

He let out a sigh. He didn't have to worry. After all, they still had a contract to complete for the Romans. And Tristan was a man of his word. He would complete his term with his brothers-at-arms. Yes, soon they would be free, but until that time they had to wait and play it safe. If Tristan wanted to join her then he could later, but now the wise thing for him to do is return her to her people and wait till he got his papers.

The villagers shouting brought Dagonet back out of his thoughts. They were the "sane" ones of the group. Apparently they hadn't seen what the others had. Their anger was understandable. Why hadn't the Romans protected them from the bandits? Their village was half destroyed by fire and the main culprits were nowhere to be found.

"What a mess," Bors mumbled as he looked down at his hands. They were dark with charcoal. "They got their injured in there. It stinks."

Dagonet absent-mindedly nodded his head. What a mess. Several homes had been burned completely to the ground and with some people in them. The villagers had said that the fire started unexpectedly and spread faster than they could contain it. And that appeared to be the case.

He sighed and wiped his hands against his tunic and headed toward the home that Bors had indicated, passing by the house that was the first to catch fire. There was little left except for the cinders and parts of some of the beams. He shuddered. _Black magic_. That's what the villagers said.

The groans of the injured could be heard before even entering the house. Steeling himself for whatever lay before him, Dagonet entered. The injured lay on the ground all sporting various degrees of burns. He spotted the supply of salve, herbs, water and bandages on a table.

There was a woman in the house. She knelt near one of the burned victims, gently giving him something to drink.

"Can I help in any way?" Dagonet asked.

She slightly jumped, clearly startled. "Yes," she said. "Choose any of them and see what you can do."

He nodded, heading toward one of the villagers who looked like he hadn't been looked at yet. The knight and the woman both attended to injured in silence. Normally, Dagonet wouldn't have minded. The sullenness of the task they were performing made him feel like it was best to keep quiet. The injured would forever be scarred, if they survived. Now and again he heard the woman whisper something. But her voice was always too low for him to fully understand.

Eventually, the two knelt side by side as he attended one victim and she the last.

"I'm sorry we weren't here to help," he finally said, breaking the silence between them.

She appeared worried and couldn't look him in the eyes. In fact, her movements quickened as if she were uncomfortable with talking to him. "I feel it would not have mattered if you were," she gravely replied.

"You believe that a witch did this?" he asked, trying not to sound condescending and failing. He, of all the knights, excluding Tristan, knew there was magic in the world. But this felt like something else. This destruction. He inwardly shivered. Was Myrina capable of this?

She put her hands on her lap and met his eyes. Something drew him in and he felt a shortness of breath. "You may not believe in witches, sir knight," she said softly, slowly turning her eyes away. "But that does not mean they do not exist. What are you… what are you doing?" She pitched her voice higher and went over to him.

Although she was rough with his hands, she somehow gently showed him how to apply the salve.

"Have you been this rough to all the injured?"

He opened his mouth to answer that he hadn't been, but she clearly didn't want an answer as she went to inspect everyone he had treated. He knew he'd been gentle enough with everyone. He was a healer after all. But then doubt entered his mind. He took care of knights, not common folk. And never people as tender as those they were currently helping.

"Dags?" Lancelot said as he entered the house. He half choked on the smell.

Dagonet shot him a look to lower his voice, knowing his friend, he was sure that the knight would say something insensitive.

"What is is Lancelot?" he said, trying not to sound short.

Lancelot looked uneasily around at all the injured. It was hard to tell if any were awake. "We could use Tristan's skills and his silly hawk at this moment," Lancelot said, covering his mouth and nose with a cloth. "I was told he and Myrina left the city earlier this morning. Sweet Myrina. What she sees in our silly scout is beyond me. The bandits are-"

"Please discuss this outside," the young woman snapped. "The injured here need their rest."

"Sorry, mistress," Lancelot said, giving her a small bow.

Dagonet nodded to her statement, then a small frown crossed his forehead. He suddenly realized how quiet and peaceful the room had gotten. The victims were sleeping. The young woman pushed the two men out and closed the door behind her. She fidgeted a little, Lancelot's eyes widened then a slick smile crossed his face as he gave a little bow.

"I hope this tragedy hasn't befallen you or your husband," Lancelot said sounding concerned.

Dagonet glanced at his friend a sharply before looking back at the young woman. Now that they were outside, he got a better look at her. Her long dirt blonde hair was tied behind her. Brown eyes flashed with wariness as well as curiosity. Yet there was an innocence about her. She titled her head to one side in a manner that was familiar to him. It clearly was familiar to Lancelot too. But neither could place it.

"Have we met before?" Lancelot asked, a frown crossing his face.

"I'm sure I would have remembered, sir," she replied, shrinking back into herself. It wasn't from embarrassment though. She hadn't been one of Lancelot's many lovers. It was something else. Noticing the awkward silence, she moved away, a glazed look on her face.

A rider galloped out of the woods.

"Watch it!" Dagonet yelled, grabbing the woman and pulling her into his arms. The rider barely missed the three and would have trampled her had Dagonet not saved her.

Clearly not even paying attention to anyone else, the soldier barely had time to stop his horse from crashing into Arthur. "I spotted the bandits. They had set up camp just north of here near the Wall. I don't think they plan on passing the Wall yet. If we hurry we can reach them before sunset." The young rider glanced at Arthur then around. He spotted Lancelot and Dagonet staring daggers at him and paled, quickly returning his attention back Arthur.

"Knights!" Arthur called out. Within minutes Arthur and his knights were mounted and riding out of the village. They couldn't let the culprits get away with what they had done. They were heading toward the Wall.

Dagonet glanced at the young woman who was helping the injured. Her sharp eyes were watching them as they prepared to leave. She looked at odds with the rest of the villagers, as if she weren't a part of them. Arthur gave his horse a kick, galloping out of the village with the rest of them behind him. Dagonet didn't have more time to reflect. It was time for battle. Whoever she was, he wouldn't be seeing her again.

* * *

Dagonet, Lancelot and a Roman soldier lay flat on the ground, waiting patiently as the small group of bandits meandered around their camp. The information they had gotten from their prisoner earlier said there were at least thirty-five men in the bandit group. They'd found and attacked the main group a few hours ago. They didn't even give the men time to situated themselves. The battle was short with little casualties on their end. Out of the twenty-nine men, fifteen were taken prisoner. And only one confirmed that six men had broken off from the main group, going in a different direction. Needing most of his knights, and not wanting the rest of the men to escape, Arthur had Dagonet, Lancelot and one Roman soldier chase after the splinter group.

Dagonet quickly counted again. There were six men in the group, meandering about. There was no woman in the camp. There wasn't a woman in the main group either. In fact, none of the bandits mentioned a woman. Which made him wonder what happened to the mysterious witch.

A rumbling overhead caught his attention and he looked up. The sun had long ago disappeared in the grey clouds that had invaded the sky just after noon. It had drizzled off and on during their search for the camp. A fact that should have hindered them, but no one wanted to travel in the rain. They found the bandits shortly after. The small crew had found a cave and set up camp. Stupid idiots, was all Dagonet could think. They were so close to crossing the Wall. If they had then they would have been safe, or maybe not. The Roman soldiers believed the bandits to be Woads, but they lacked the distinctive markings. Woads or not, there was going to be bloodshed this night.

The Roman soldier shifted uneasily, not used to being away from his squad. Dagonet would have prefered another knight, Gawain, with them, but he couldn't question Arthur. The man had his ways. Dagonet couldn't help but think that Myrina and Tristan would have made matters easier. Not to mention, she could have confirmed if there indeed was a witch around.

Lancelot quietly grumbled and rested his head on his arms. They were just waiting for the right moment. The men clearly weren't worried as they talked loudly to one another and made a fire. Dagonet looked up at the sky. The light drizzle was uncomfortable, but at least the trees and bushes were helping to keep them as dry as possible. And best of all it wasn't pouring rain yet.

A loud shriek caused both knights to cover their ears in pain. As abrupt as it started it ended. An arrow landed between them, barely missing Dagonet's hand. The two rolled away from each other, dodging more arrows.

Lancelot withdrew his swords, running at the two bandits who ran at him. Dagonet took the other two while the Roman soldier took on the final two. Both knights kept light on their feet keeping aware of the archers.

Lancelot easily jabbed one of his swords into one opponent while slicing his other sword across the other man's leg. The man cried out and dropped down to one knee. Lancelot took his opportunity and killed the man.

Dagonet rammed his opponent, hitting the man in the shoulder and sending him flying toward his comrade. It gave him enough time to take in what the archers were doing. One man aimed his bow at Lancelot while the other aimed at the Roman soldier. The world seemed to slow as Dagonet yelled at Lancelot to get down. It was too late for the soldier, who received an arrow in the eye.

Lancelot's eyes widened as he tried to dodge an attack from his other opponent while at the same time get away from the arrow. An arrow flew through the air, hitting the archer in the chest, killing him instantly. His body automatically reflexed, jerking his arms in the air. The arrow still launched, hitting Lancelot in the side, but it wasn't a death shot. Lancelot didn't have time to pull the arrow out of his body as his opponent lunged at him. Meanwhile, Dagonet still had two men to deal with.

Neither had time to see their rescuer. Dagonet swung his axe in a wide arc, feeling it graze one of the men. A smile crossed his lips. _Tristan,_ he thought for a brief moment. He waited to hear the familiar sounds of an angry hawk and see her swoop down to distract the archer. But no hawk came.

A woman ran passed them, bow and arrow in hand. She took her focus temporarily off the archer to launch an arrow at one of Dagonet's enemies, hitting the man in the knee. Dagonet shook his head, returning his attention back to his enemies. She was clearly on his side. He caught the injured man with his axe, slamming it into the man's leg. The man screamed, falling to the ground while Dagonet pulled his axe out. The man's partner ferociously stabbed at the knight with his short sword. Dagonet jumped back, swinging his axe and catching the blade of the sword at just the right moment. He put all of his strength into his push and forced the sword out of his opponent's hands.

The man yelped as he lunged for his sword, only to find Dagonet's axe in his sternum.

Dagonet looked up, spotting the woman. She and the archer were fighting each other. Her bow gone. In her hands were two knives. She spun, blocking the archer's sword with one knife, and trying to reach the man's flesh with the other. He swung his body, putting all his strength and speed in his attack. She barely had time to drop on the ground and roll away.

Getting back on her feet, she placed one hand on her right shoulder. Blood seeped through her clothes, revealing he'd hurt her. Dagonet rushed to attack the man then felt a sharp pain along his leg. Automatically, he raised his axe and brought it down on his attacker. The man whose leg he'd practically severed cried out as the axe buried into his back.

The woman let out a warcry and jumped at her opponent, tackling him to the ground. Dagonet rose to his full height to help her, only to collapse onto one knee as the world around him whirled. He shook his head, trying clear it. Beside him, Lancelot finally disposed of the man he was fighting. He looked at the last bandit alive and wobbled.

The archer chuckled, despite having the woman's knife to his throat. "And so end the bane of this land. Arthur and his precious knights," the archer snarled.

Dagonet met the woman's eyes, his own growing larger at the realization that she was the same woman who was helping the villagers earlier.

"What have you done?" she snapped, pressing the knife deeper.

"Think she didn't know. She made a poison. All the weapons have been dipped in it. All of you will die." He laughed at his words.

"Whoever she is she'll have to do better than that," Lancelot scoffed, raising both swords and positioning himself casually.

The bandit opened his mouth to say something else but the words didn't leave his mouth as the woman punched him hard, using a rock to help her knock him out. Looking at Lancelot, she jumped to her feet and was in front of him just as his arms dropped to his side and he fell over. She caught him and cried out, sliding back at his full weight rested on her. As gently as possible, she set him on the ground.

Dagonet couldn't move from his position, as awkward as he was. He was afraid that if he did he too would lose consciousness. And that wouldn't be good. He watched, unable to protest out loud, as the woman gave Lancelot a quick inspection before she turned her attention to him.

"Are you injured?" Dagonet asked her. His question surprised both him and her.

"I will be well," she replied, reaching her hand out to him.

Instinctively, he jerked back, nearly falling. She grabbed his tunic and helped him to stabilize. "Your friend is worse than you are," she commented, glancing at the wound on his leg. She looked up then back at Dagonet. "It'll be night soon. The others may not come for you, especially now. The cave is the safest place to be. I will need your help to move your comrade."

"Why will a Woad help us?" he asked. Oddly enough, he wasn't suspicious of her. In fact, for some unknown reason he trusted her. At least, he trusted her enough to let her help them. She wanted something and until she got it he knew she would be a temporary ally.

She watched him, waiting for something. "For now we have a common enemy," she replied, resting her hand on his shoulder. Although the air was cool, he felt her touch, a cold tingling sensation that went through his shoulder and seemingly into his body. A renewed strength entered him. She pulled away, shaking her hand a little while he stood up. "I have a horse with supplies down a little ways. I will return," she said.

He watched her warily, but nodded. Why help fight with them if to bring more of her people and kill them? Plus, she was in the village, helping the wounded all alone. No, he had a feeling that whatever she was doing, she was alone.

Temporarily pushing his thoughts back, Dagonet quickly tied up the surviving bandit before picking up his injured friend and moved him into the cave. There were a few mats laid out by the bandits. He examined the area, making sure that there wasn't hidden poison or knives or anything that would harm Lancelot before setting the injured man down. He heard before he saw her exit the woods with both her horse and theirs. She tied them near a tree, making a temporary shelter around them and just on time. The moment she entered the cave it began to pour.

She held two packs in her hands and set it down next to Lancelot. There was determination in her eyes. She wanted to save Lancelot's life. She handed Dagonet the pack she had gotten from his horse. It contained his supplies. He took them out, quickly making a salve. While she set out her own set of herbs and items, most of which he recognized.

"I will take the arrow out of him," she said. Dagonet nodded.

Lancelot murmured something as he opened his eyes.

"Do not move, sir knight," she commanded.

Dagonet put his hands on Lancelot, firmly holding his down. "Do it now," he ordered.

She snapped the arrow and snapped it in half, quickly taking it out before Lancelot started to struggle.

"Horses! They ride tonight. Death, she waits for me," Lancelot cried out, arching his back. His eyes were wide and glazed.

The woman put one hand on Lancelot's wound while placing the other hand on his face. "Death will wait for you," she said softly. "No need to rush into her arms."

Lancelot relaxed, looking at the woman. "Arthur speaks of a God and angels. Truly, you are one," he said, coughing a little, wincing.

Her eyes lightened and she chuckled. "Rest, sir knight," she said. He nodded in compliance, much to Dagonet's surprise. The woman waited on Dagonet who tended to his friend's injuries. The arrow was the big one, there were a few cuts, but nothing life threatening. Once he finished he sat back. Lancelot was fast asleep.

The woman put another log into the fire, making him realize just how dark it had gotten. After making sure there was nothing else to do for Lancelot, Dagonet moved closer toward the woman and the fire.

She gave him a wary look.

"You need not fear me. I will not harm you," he said softly, feeling exhausted. He fought the feeling. He had to stay vigilante. Moving Lancelot now was a bad idea, and he couldn't exactly trust her to keep watch over them. That was his job. "You have saved our lives."

She nodded her head.

The two were quiet, letting the crackling of the fire. He looked out of the cave, the bodies of the bandits and their Roman comrade lay out there. At some point she'd moved their prisoner into the cave. He was still unconscious, tied tightly and lying on his side.

Dagonet got up, knowing there was a job for him to do. His body felt sore but he had to clean up. He didn't want to wake to see them there. As if feeling the same way he did, or maybe she truly wished to help, the woman worked with Dagonet, silently moving the weapons making a pile and helping him lift the bodies. The bandits they put to one side, moving them from view. Meanwhile, the Roman soldier she helped him tightly bind with the remaining mats. He placed the body near the horses then surveyed the land. He was beginning to think that it would be best to ride and find Arthur when thunder roared and it began to rain.

Placing a hand over his head, Dagonet hurried back into the cave, stopping momentarily to notice that Lancelot was covered in a pelt to keep him warm. The woman sat by the fire. Opposite her was some food that she must have found.

"Are you sure this is safe to eat?" he asked, her, sitting down where she'd placed the food.

She took a bit out of the meat and chewed for a moment before giving him his answer. "Freshly killed," she said. "Why would they poison their food if they believed they would win?"

She had a point.

"I am Dagonet," he said, realizing that she had yet to introduce herself.

"I know," she replied, watching the rain.

"And you are?" he asked. It was clear she didn't want to get to familiar. But since she saved him she currently had nothing to fear.

She looked at him. Her eyes critically studied his face. "Nola," she finally replied.

"What were you doing past the Wall without guards?" He winced the moment he finished his question as she glared at him. Then, to his surprise, she sighed and stared at the ground, defeated.

"Rumors," she said, glancing at their prisoner.

"He will be punished, lady," Dagonet said softly.

Nola's eyes narrowed as she cocked her head, looking at him curiously again. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted.

"You are fools," the bandit chucked and winced in pain.

Both Dagonet and Nola stood up.

"She watches over everything. You can't stop her. No one can." The bandit just smiled. "They are coming. You, your precious commander, everyone you care for will die. Nothing can stop them as long as she is with them."

"And yet she's afraid," Nola said. "Otherwise, why not be in a camp with the rest of her followers? She left all of you to your fate." Dagonet kept his face passive, not wanting the bandit to read his surprise by the young woman's words.

"You know nothing," the bandit snapped.

"I know plenty," she replied. "I know she was with your group until fairly recently. She will be punished for the crimes she's committed. She will rue the day she decided to harm my family."

The bandit's eyes widened in surprise. The rope snapped and he lunged at her, dagger in hand. Dagonet felt the dagger dig into his chest as he protected the woman, pushing her away from harm. He roared in anger, feeling the blade go into his skin. Not giving the bandit a moment to think, he headbutted the man. The bandit yelped, dropped to the ground, covering his face. Dagonet didn't wait. He pulled the knife from his chest and stabbed his enemy, putting all of his weight on the man and waited till he didn't hear another breath leave the body.

Finally, he moved away and tried to get up, only to have the world move around him. He felt her arms wrap around him to keep him up.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, collapsing to his knees.

She shook her head. "We're enemies," she whispered. "You know what I am. Why rescue me?"

"I had to," he said, his voice barely coming out.

She touched his shoulder, eyes searching his face while he tried to breath. He was surprised he was still kneeling. She helped lean him back so that his back was against the wall.

"My bag," he said, pointing to his pack. He doubted there was much hope. The poison on the knife was already making its way through his blood.

She looked at the pack then back at him.

They both knew it was hopeless. "Tell, Lancelot-" he coughed, unable to go on.

She put her hand on his chest. Her brown eyes met his. A familiarity to them. Her mouth set with determination. "I will trust you with my life, sir knight," she said softly. "Please, do not betray it."

He couldn't speak, although he was saddened. She was trusting a dead man. He felt her hand on his chest as she pressed harder. She murmured something. A coolness swept through his body. It wasn't the coldness of death, but a refreshing coolness. Like he'd taken a dip in a cool spring on a hot day. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling.

It was odd, how it seemed like his body was repairing itself. The dizziness felt like a thing of the past, and it was easier for him to breathe. He opened his eyes and looked at her. There was a light glow coming from her. Then she pulled her hand away, opening her eyes a little.

She let out a breath then collapsed. He barely had a chance to catch her before she hit the ground. His reflexes surprised him. In fact, his whole body felt refreshed, anew.

Her eyes fluttered and her breathing deepened as if she were in a deep sleep. He gently laid her down and then examined his wound. It was all but gone. Magic. She'd healed him. He looked over at her. A witch? It was possible. But not the witch the villagers were talking about. Couldn't be. If she were then her actions were indeed confusing. Sure, she could have pretended to help heal the injured villagers, but why heal him? That made no sense.

"I swear I will protect you with my life and keep you safe while you are under my care," he stated, placing his hand on his heart. He owed her a life debt now.

She couldn't acknowledge his pledge and he knew that, but it made him feel better. He gulped. Was this how Tristan felt when he met Myrina? Did he automatically know that she was a friend? Did he feel an overwhelming urge to protect her? Dagonet wasn't sure. But what he did know was if she were not awake in the morning he would have to go back to the fort with her. He didn't like the idea of bringing her deeper into enemy territory. But once Tristan came back then they'd figure out a way to get her back to her people.

He placed another log onto the fire. He had a lot to think about.


End file.
